A SHOPPING centre which has undergone a £20 million transformation has bagged a top award.

Market Place Shopping Centre received a Revo British Council Shopping Centres Gold Award at the ceremony this week at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

The Revo Annual Dinner and Gold Awards Presentation are designed to recognised the best retail and leisure destinations across the UK.

Market Place Shopping Centre received the top award in the Refurbishment and Extension category following its ambitious transformation into a "contemporary retail and leisure destination".

Tim Vaughan CEO Moorgarth Group which owns the shopping centre, said: "We are thrilled to have won a Gold Award at this year’s Revo presentation.

"The redevelopment of Market Place has been well received by the consumer with popularity growing daily.

"To be so well recognised within the industry is just brilliant. One of the key factors in achieving success has been the support shown by Bolton Council whose vision we share for the whole town centre."

The shopping centre was shortlisted for an award following the multi-million pound investment to turn around its fortunes.

Bosses say the centre had been in decline prior the purchase by Inception Sarl in November, 2013.

Since then the traditional features of the original Victorian Vaults have been opened up and new businesses and restaurants have moved in to a centre described as offering an "inclusive, vibrant and welcoming consumer experience".

New features include the new nine-screen cinema operated by The Light, as well as a play area and restaurants, which has been described as "the catalyst for re-establishing the town centre’s night time economy".

High street stores include Next, New Look and a flagship Topshop store.

The investment is said to be showing a significant return.

Footfall is more than 18.5 per cent up year-on-year plus a 71 per cent uplift in car park use and turnover growth of 24 per cent

Cllr Cliff Morris, leader of Bolton Council, said: "The shopping centre has been completely transformed thanks to the investment from Moorgarth, supported all the way by Bolton Council.

"We have worked closely with them to help them achieve their vision and with the Vaults, new restaurants, new shop openings, a new cinema and lots more to come, it is an impressive and exciting development.

"The redevelopment has brought an entirely new offer to the heart of Bolton town centre. Not only is the Market Place a great retail centre, it is now also a major leisure destination catering for all of the family.

"It is no surprise to us that it won the award and we are so pleased.

"The award is a great recognition of the work that has taken place and testament that our town centre strategy is working."