Wilson Bowden Developments

After a six year planning and construction project, the £100 million Eagles Meadow in Wrexham, opens its doors to the public today.

The 400,000 sq ft shopping and entertainment destination has been conceived and designed to attract a wider audience of shoppers and visitors to the town and it is estimated it will elevate Wrexham into the UK’s top 80 retail centres. The project has been a joint venture between Wrexham County Borough Council and Wilson Bowden Developments.

At 10am an opening ceremony will take place at the Eagles Meadow end of the link bridge where the Worshipful Mayor of Wrexham, Councillor David Griffiths will cut the ribbon and declare the centre open.

Nick Richardson, managing director of Wilson Bowden, said: “After years of hard work, Eagles Meadow is a testimony to the partnership of Wilson Bowden Developments and Wrexham County Borough Council working so well together.

“Right from the start, the project was designed as an extension to the town centre and an improvement for Wrexham as a whole to bring trade to all the shops and businesses here, not just those in Eagles Meadow and to provide the most impressive shopping and leisure attraction in North Wales.

“Team work is a term that can sometimes be over-used, but in the case of Eagles Meadow, this is exactly what has made it all happen. Today is a day of celebration for everyone who has been involved, including our colleagues at Wrexham County Borough Council, but also all the planners, the architects, all of our construction workers, electricians, engineers, plumbers and shop fitters.

“We’re confident that everyone in Wrexham is going to be delighted with the new Eagles Meadow and over the weeks and months ahead will enjoy its facilities and everything it has to offer.”

Combining high street names with a host of restaurants and leisure outlets, Eagles Meadow will feature a wide range of leading names including Debenhams, M&S, Jane Norman, River Island, Next, Bank, H&M, La Senza, with Topshop, Topman, Wallis, Dorothy Perkins and Burton opening in November.

Leisure outlets including Pizza Express, Frankie & Benny’s, and Nando’s will all open at Eagles Meadow in October and November, and with an eight screen multiplex Odeon also scheduled for Easter 2009, this brings the total floor space let to 90 per cent.

The day’s celebrations begin with a Caribbean style carnival will be which will start at 9.20am at Queens Square. The carnival, which will be led by Marcher Sound’s Galaxy and Thunder Crew, will then make its way through the streets of Wrexham to the new bridge connecting the existing shopping area of the town with Eagles Meadow and members of the public are invited to join in with the procession.

Would be shoppers will then be free to enter the centre and experience for the first time what Eagles Meadow has to offer.

For further information about Eagles Meadow go to www.eagles-meadow.co.uk