It was 21 years ago when shoppers in Bedminster welcomed the opening of a new Asda supermarket and as the store officially unveiled its multimillion makeover yesterday, 18 original members of staff celebrated the landmark.

With a total of 378 years of service between them the women, who work at the store on East Street, said they were like one big family as they celebrated with balloons, cake and champagne.

Gail Adams, 56, who works on the delicatessen counter, said she never expected to be at the store for 21 years.

She said: "I only planned on being here for about six months. I was new to Bristol and wanted to meet people and then I thought I'd move on but everyone was so warm and friendly. I think the people I work with is the main reason I've been here this long."

Her colleague Teresa Phillips, 47, said: "Any job has its ups and downs but we all get on so well, we're like family. We spend more time here with each other than we do with our own family."

In the store's 21 years they have seen the arrival of chip and pin, self-scan checkouts and exotic produce but say the recent re-fit has been the biggest change.

The £6.5-million makeover has expanded the store by 13,000 sq ft of space and, according to store manger Tim Jackson, 41, nothing in the store is in its original place.

The George clothes department has been expanded and moved across the store, the new bakery, fish and meat counters line the back wall, which used to be warehouse space, and aisles have been widened.

Mr Jackson said: "The new-look store is a lot brighter and its really been opened up to create a bigger sense of space. I think it looks fantastic and I'm really proud of everyone who has worked so hard to get us to this stage.

"It's also unique to have such a big group of long-serving colleagues. We are like a family and we like working together."

Sheralyn Soper, 51, of South Street, who has always worked in the produce department, said: "When I first started we used to have to weigh the produce for the customer; we had a set of scales and people had to queue at the end of the aisles. Now, of course, it's all done at the till. We've also seen a big increase in the different types of produce we sell, the different variety of salads and the more exotic fruits."

The staff also remembered the changes in technology with the introduction of music downloads and the arrival of DVDs.

Carol Smith, 62, said: "We still get older people coming in and asking for videos. I don't know where the time has gone."

To mark the celebrations the store has five celebration bags, with champagne and cake, to give away to anyone celebrating their 21st birthday this week.