Regional builders’ merchant chain Kent Blaxil has expanded with the opening of a new store in Hungtingdon, bringing its branch network to nine.

Kent Blaxill is based in Colchester and also has branches in Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Braintree, Sudbury, Melton, Kirby Cross and Norwich.

The new branch, which has a staff of three, will serve an area from Huntingdon and Cambridge to St Ives and south Peterborough.

Ron McConnachie, commercial director, said: “With a lot of growth planned around Huntingdon, it is an ideal place for Kent Blaxill to open a new branch and fits perfectly with our expansion plans.”

Simon Blaxill, managing director, added: “We are very pleased to be opening in Huntingdon – the town has very much a family air about it and we have been a family firm for 175 years.

“I understand that we have been made to feel very welcome here. We genuinely believe we have a lot to offer to our core market, the professional decorators, but we are also very pleased to welcome DIY enthusiasts. As well as having knowledgeable staff we are backed up by our suppliers, which enables us to be very responsive to customer problems.”

The new 3,147 sq ft store is located at Unit 1 on the, Stukeley Meadows Industrial Estate, off St Margarets Way, Huntingdon, about three minutes away from the A1/A14.