CROWDS of people queued earlier today as they eagerly waited to get inside the latest supermarket to open in Darlington.

At around 10am on Friday, the 'members-only' Company Shop, off Haughton Road, officially opened its doors to the public.

Darlington Mayor Chris McEwan and MP Peter Gibson were there to cut the rope as the store began trading.

SEE MORE: Full list of who can get a Company Shop membership as Darlington store opens

Earlier this week, The Northern Echo spoke to Company Shop bosses who explained how the discount supermarket model works.

SEE MORE: First look inside the Company Shop in Darlington opening this week

Sally Wake, head of strategic relationships, said that everything in the store is either branded or is from a major retailer and is deemed 'surplus' due to either packaging or ingredients inconsistencies.

She also explained why the discount store is only open to certain customers, with all shoppers required to sign up to a free membership.

She said: “We’ve always had specific membership groups, because it is food surplus, the amount of surplus we get through the door is very unpredictable.

"We also have to operate this way because of our brand partners, who want to make sure we can protect their brands and maintain their brands."

Take a look below:

The Northern Echo: Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTPicture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo: Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTPicture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo: Chris Neil, manager at the new store Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTChris Neil, manager at the new store Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo: Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTPicture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo: Darlington Mayor Chris McEwan and MP Peter Gibson cutting the ribbon Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTDarlington Mayor Chris McEwan and MP Peter Gibson cutting the ribbon Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

Ahead of its launch, Steph McGinty, Deputy Managing Director for Company Shop Group said: “We are really looking forward to officially opening the doors of Company Shop Darlington, fulfilling our commitment to create local jobs and to support many key workers and families at a critical time, particularly in light of the latest national lockdown.

“As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, we are proud to serve many key workers, who are continuing to do a brilliant job on the front line.

"We are also pleased to be providing a source of support to those on welfare benefits, as we know this is a particularly difficult time for many families. We want to encourage all those eligible for membership to sign up online as soon as they can, so that they can access the great offers available straight away.

“We know that many local businesses will also be looking at how they can help the community at this time, and we’d encourage any that are interested in doing something positive with their surplus to get in touch.”