BOLTON Market Place will reveal it’s new look tomorrow after construction staff worked round the clock to complete the £40 million restoration on time.

Hundreds of workers have been putting the finishing touches to the project, which has been underway since April last year.

Their efforts have allowed bosses to confidently declare the shopping centre will open as planned at 10am with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony by the Mayor of Bolton, Cllr Anthony Connell.

Hundreds of shoppers are then expected to flood into the centre eager to check out new tenants like Oasis, H&M, Zara, Jane Norman, Principles and Warehouse, with the first 50 winning a £50 voucher to spend inside.

Rod Neasham, shopping centre manager, said: “The number of people working on the Market Place must be well into the hundreds.

“They have been working flat and we will be ready and opening at 10am.

“We are really excited now that our opening is imminent and can’t wait to show off our new shops.”

Frank Joyce, area director of Miller Construction, said: “We are in the final throes and it’s something special now when you see the lights on and people in their yellow vests in all the shops.

“It’s coming together really well and there is a real buzz about the place.”

Many retailers are planning special events. Starbucks will have Lofty the Lion and a Bolton Wanderers player in store, signing mugs in aid of Royal Bolton Hospital Breast Cancer Unit, and the first 200 H&M customers will receive a £5 discount voucher.

Rod Neesham added: “I think we are going to see the start of the regeneration of Bolton town centre as a shopping destination. There is plenty more development activity to come and with the Market Place regeneration, Bolton could be back on the map.”

nick.lakeman@theboltonnews.co.uk