EXETER High Street is set to  receive a boost with the opening  of two new stores.

Camping and outdoor gear retailer Mountain Warehouse is  converting the former HSBC  bank premises into a shop, following approval of its planning  application for change of use of  the building on the corner of  Martins Lane and alterations to  the shop front.

Meanwhile, work is under  way on fitting out the new Sony  Centre, which is making a return to the city’s High Street  more than four years after its  previous outlet closed. It will  occupy the former premises of  women’s fashion chain Wallis,  which closed over a year ago.

Mountain Warehouse has so  far remained tight lipped about  its reasons for coming to Exeter,  but details submitted with the  planning application indicated  the new store was expected to  create five full-time and five  part-time jobs.

Welcoming the forthcoming  store opening, Exeter city  centre manager John Harvey —  an ambassador for the Echo’s  Exeter Bites Back campaign —  said: “That particular unit has  been vacant for quite some time  and it’s a very high-profile location. Mountain Warehouse is a  completely new name to the city  and another great brand.

“We are really delighted that  the company is  opening a store  in the city and again it’s a continuation of an emerging trend.  We are seeing investment coming back and this is encouraging.”

Plans for the new Sony Centre  were originally confirmed in  October last year, but its opening has been delayed.

A spokeswoman for Sony said  the shop was now expected to  open in mid to late April, but  was unable to give details of how  many jobs were being created.

Welcoming the news, Mr Harvey said: “Sony is  a great brand  and we are a city centre full of  great brand names, so it’s excellent to add another one to the  list. I would expect other people  to follow hot on the heels of  Sony’s investment.

“It’s good to be moving back  in the right direction again, and  I think it’s a genuinely positive  sign that new names want to  come into Exeter. Good brands  such as Sony only want to have a  presence in successful towns  and cities.

“We are moving in the right  direction, Sony recognises that  and is  putting in a  significant  investment to open a   new store.   We are really looking forward to  the new shops   opening and  bringing more footfall into the  city centre.”