FORMER Arsenal and Eng-land legend Ray Parlour is to open a new builders’ merchant in Dorchester.

Talk Sport pundit Parlour will be at Gibbs & Dandy on Great Western Road from 4.30pm until 7pm tomorrow.

The ‘Romford Pele’ is looking forward to meeting Dorset’s builders.

Parlour, one of Gibbs & Dandy’s official ‘Team Builders’ ambassadors, will meet and greet local tradesmen, take part in a target football shootout and give people the opportunity to win prizes for their local sports teams and clubs.

He said: “These events are really good fun and allow me the opportunity to meet the skilled tradesmen from the area as well as the great Gibbs & Dandy team – and have a real laugh in the process.

“Team Builders is a great way of supporting sports sides in a new area where you open a store.

“I’ll be coming along to tell a few stories, sign a few autographs and be in some pictures – and obviously dust off the old shooting boots as well!”

The idea for Team Builders came about through the amount of Gibbs & Dandy customers involved with a sports organisation and branch manager Richard Buck believes it will be hugely popular.

He said: “Gibbs & Dandy prides itself on being a team knowledgeable about the local area providing a service tailored to the needs of our customers and the community, and one of the things we are most asked about is support for teams – whether it be junior sides that tradesmen run or groups that they play in themselves.

“Team Builders is about giving customers the chance to meet a real sporting hero and also providing access to a raft of kits and equipment packages that we have, to provide vital support to grass roots sport.”

Anybody in the building trade who would like to attend the official Gibbs & Dandy opening should visit theteambuilders.net to secure their place.