The last retail unit in Mansfield District Council’s £2.4m flagship Queen’s Place development has opened its doors.

Ice Creams and Dreams will sell luxury ice creams and cakes in an American diner-style atmosphere in the complex next to the bus station.

The business already has a successful outlet in Bakewell.

Operations manager Vicente Domenech-March said they chose Mansfield for their expansion plans because footfall for that area of the town was quite high and a lot money had been spent on the area.

“Mansfield people also tend to be the kind who will spend what they have,” he said.

The parlour opened a week ahead of schedule in time for the town’s Christmas lights switch-on event.

Queen’s Place, built on the site of a former pub, was developed by the council with a mix of £867,000 from the European Regional Development Fund and £1.92m from the authority’s own resources.

It is now almost fully let with one office unit remaining.

Pictured is assistant manager Polly Asher with customers Jasmin Mayes and Catherine Parkinson.