ESCALATORS have replaced a staircase in Festival Place, with the first shoppers to use them receiving goody bags.

Centre director Steven Connolly officially opened the escalators near Debenhams yesterday morning. He handed goody bags to the first ten shoppers that used the new escalators.

Work started in September to remove the staircase and install the escalators, in a bid to improve access between the ground and first floors of the shopping centre.