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As exclusively revealed by The Gazette on Saturday, bosses have given their backing to the ВЈ60m plan to extend the centre into the Coronation Street area. It had been feared Blackpool’s failure to land the UK’s first supercasino and the massive investment it would bring had put paid to any hope of the Houndshill expanding further after its current revamp.
But Modus, the company in charge of the ВЈ30m extension of Houndshill, revealed it is going ahead with the scheme which would see a block of rundown properties replaced with a five-storey building on land facing the Winter Gardens. It is now hoped that when completed, the new ВЈ60m phase will help persuade Fylde shoppers to stay local rather than head to Preston or Manchester. Shoppers say they believe a greater selection of retail outlets will bring the crowds flocking to the resort.
Peter Mcluskie, 41, of Longton Road, North Shore, said: “If it brings more retail outlets and less pound shops, then it’ll be great. “There are so many clearance shops. We need the higher end of retail here to encourage people to shop in the resort.” Caroline Tinkler, 34, from Carleton, said: “More shops will make people stay in Blackpool rather than go to the Trafford Centre in Manchester. It’ll create more jobs for the town, too.
It’ll be good.” Phil Dunne, 65, of Palatine Road, North Shore, said he hopes the new shopping centre will provide more shops for men. He said: “It’s a great idea. Already there’s been a massive improvement so this next stage will make it even better. “I’d shop there if there were men’s clothing stores and tool shops. Trip “All we need now in the centre of town is a quality supermarket.” Neil Raine, 26, of Cocker Street, said: “The reason they’ve built it is to keep people shopping in Blackpool.