Huge retail park is almost ready (From Stroud News and Journal)

Huge retail park is almost ready

STROUD'S massive new £10 million shopping and leisure centre is nearing completion as construction company Costain hand over to tenants for the final stages of work.

The hoardings are due to be removed from the imposing Merrywalks building within weeks, with the first shops opening in late August or early September.

Merrywalks owner Bill Wrather said: "I think everybody is delighted that it is actually happening. A lot of people did not think it ever would."

The new centre will house a six-screen Apollo cinema, due to open in November, a 16-lane bowling alley and other retail units, including a large New Look store to replace the two current Stroud branches and a 34,000 sq ft Wilkinson's superstore.

A potential surge in shoppers has led to strong support for the centre from town businesses. Nigel Messenger, chairman of Stroud Chamber of Trade, said the feedback from members was '99 per cent positive'.

"The important thing is it will increase footfall," he said. "In the lower half of town it will do an awful lot of good for a lot of traders.

"The competition is bound to hurt some traders but nobody opens a business with a guarantee for life."