HOPES that high street giant Boots is to take over a large chunk of Shipgates Shopping Centre have been raised following the submission of plans to Bolton Council.

The major chemist chain has applied for the installation of a new shop front at Unit 1 of the half empty shopping centre on Mealhouse Lane.

Boots have been locked in negotiations with the centre's owners, the Surrey based property firm Swan Hill, for several months. It was hoped the chemist would take over about one third of the centre - the former Bolton Evening News headquarters - and two other major retailers were also thought to be interested in moving to the site.

Boots today remained tight-lipped about their plans for the site but a spokesman said there are no plans at the moment to close their existing stores in Victoria Square and Deansgate. Despite opening four years ago with high hopes, many of the units at the centre have remained empty and it received a major blow at the beginning of last year when Athena, the only shop with a display window to the outside, went bust.

Many of the units inside the centre have been vacant for the past year as negotiations with Boots and the other two companies took place.

No-one was available to comment at Swan Hill.

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