Next, River Island, New Look, Marks and Spencer and Topman among the big names due to open at Widnes Shopping Park

Jan 13 2010 by Mark Smith, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

WIDNES will be transformed into one of the North West’s premier shopping destinations with the arrival of some of the biggest names on the British high street.

The promise comes from the developers behind the new Widnes Shopping Park, which is set to open its doors on March 18, creating up to 750 new jobs.

Contractors are now putting the finishing touches to the park, which has been built on the site of the former Windmill Centre on Gerrard Street.

With 150,000sq ft of retail space, the development will feature a three storey ‘flagship’ M&S department store employing 100 people, a Next, River Island, New Look, Outfit, BHS, Wallis, Miss Selfridge, Topman, Topshop and Costa Coffee.

Some of the famous names already in Widnes will also relocate there, including Dorothy Perkins, Boots and Burton, to sit alongside Wilkinsons and Halfords, which are already in place.

Read the full story in tomorrow’s Widnes Weekly News.