A GERMAN Christmas themed retailer has confirmed it will move into the medieval city centre shop previously occupied by Mulberry Hall with an opening date set for July.

The move by Käthe Wohlfahrt into Stonegate marks the first UK store for the family-run Christmas shop business, which has outlets in a number of German and European cities in Belgium, Italy and Switzerland as well as Japan, the USA and Canada.

The retailer, which founded the German Christmas Museum in Rothenburg, has confirmed it will be employing 11 former staff from well-known china specialist Mulberry Hall, which closed in March after more than 60 years in the 2800sq ft timber-framed building, which was built in 1434.

The Käthe Wohlfahrt family have been in business for more than half a century, and said the decision to move to York was due to number of factors, including a strong working relationship with Adam Sinclair, owner of Mulberry Hall.

Harald Wohlfahrt, owner of Käthe Wohlfahrt said: "I first visited York as a tourist 40 years ago and instantly fell in love with the charm and character.

"When I came back last year, I was reminded of the city’s appeal and realised it would be a perfect location for our new UK store.

"After contacting an estate agent, I was amazed to discover that the building that I had visited when shopping in Mulberry Hall the first time I came to York was available for lease.

"I loved the shop and the building then and it totally fits with our Käthe Wohlfahrt concept.

"We are also very grateful that we have benefitted from a huge amount of support from Adam and the Sinclair family.

"Adam’s help has made us feel part of the city already. He has introduced us to a number of businesses who are helping us with the construction and launch of the new store."

The Press revealed in March that Käthe Wohlfahrt was eyeing up a move to the site after it submitted a planning application seeking permission to reinstall a door on to Stonegate, open up a staircase in the back of the shop, and create an opening between ground and first floor in the building’s 1960s extension, to house a Christmas tree display.

The company designs, manufactures and sells Christmas decorations and gifts all year round, employing 400 staff worldwide, and attracting millions of tourists to its retail outlets from all over the world.

Adam Sinclair, former owner of Mulberry Hall said: "We are delighted to welcome the Wohlfahrt family to York and to our former premises on Stonegate.

"It is wonderful to see the longstanding family ethos continued with the introduction of such a respected world-wide brand such as Käthe Wohlfahrt to the city and we are very pleased that many of Mulberry Hall’s former employees will be working for them.

"The aspirations of Käthe Wohlfahrt are very similar – to create not just a shop but a destination for enjoyment, inspiration and pleasure, presenting for sale an extensive, high quality, exclusive and unique range of Christmas and modern decorations."

Earlier this month the firm behind a cocktail bar proposal for remainder of the old Mulberry Hall property confirmed its plans.

New World Trading Company confirmed that The Botanist, a cocktail bar chain which already has a presence in Leeds city centre, will move into 15 Stonegate.

The restaurant will be split over two floors in the Grade II-listed building, formerly part of Mulberry Hall and at other points in time a cafe bar called Le Coq D’Or and York Coffee Bar.

The York venue will be the UK’s 10th Botanist alongside its existing venues in Manchester, Chester, Alderley Edge, Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle, Marlow, Farnham, Knutsford and, soon, Sheffield.

There is still no indication on what could happen to the third part of Mulberry Hall’s building at 2-4 Little Stonegate, which in January was given change of use permission to become a cafe or restaurant.