Features

It's been years in the making, but the transformation of Exeter city centre is finally on the verge of completion.

The vast new Princesshay shopping complex will open to the public on Thursday 20 September.

The ribbon cutting ceremony is at 9.30am and the development opens to the public at 10am. There will be street entertainment from 11am. BBC Radio Devon will be there on the opening day, and on the next two days as well.

The £230m development is said to be the biggest single investment in regeneration in Exeter's history.

Café culture arrives in Exeter

This part of Exeter has been facing redevelopment for six years, but the firm behind the project avoids calling it a shopping centre because Princesshay isn't enclosed.

Instead it's described as a streetscape or shopping quarter.

"It's been long awaited, everyone has been looking forward to the opening of Princesshay," said Princesshay manager Sally Henley.

"It's a very exciting time with some fantastic retailers coming to Exeter."

The new-look Princesshay features more than 60 shops, cafés and restaurants. There is also a multiplex cinema, 122 apartments, a heritage centre, a 270-space car park and public art.

An etching in Princesshay Square

The first shops and restaurants to be completed as part of the redevelopment opened their doors to the public at Easter 2007. Now the main body of the development is ready to welcome shoppers for the first time.

One of the focal points for the new development is Princesshay Square, with its pavement café area and views of the Cathedral.

The large square will also play host to regular street entertainment and city events.

"Exeter is already a great place to come shopping, it's a fantastic city centre," said city centre manager John Harvey. "It's about to get even better.

"We are really excited about the opening of Princesshay, it will bring a whole range of new and exciting retailers, both large and small to the city.

"And it will open up a dramatic range of new public spaces, there's a real air of anticipation and excitement around."

There's no doubt Princesshay's influence will be felt right through the surrounding streets which the developers haven't touched.

Already House of Fraser has spent £1.6m refurbishing the old Dingles store. Just a stone's throw away, it could capitalise on the expected influx of shoppers.

The new Debenhams store

Ben Brook, of House of Fraser said: "We already get customers coming up from Cornwall, from North Devon and into Somerset, and I think we'll just see that spread a little further. I'm sure there will be an effect."

The developers Land Securities finally started work on the site in April 2005 with the demolition of the post-war Princesshay shopping arcade, originally built to replace buildings destroyed by German bombing.

The scheme was highly controversial and remains unpopular with some Exeter residents, who believe the character of the city centre has been lost.

However the developers have strived to overcome the objections by making room for small independent shops.

"One of the really inspirational decisions taken by Land Securities has been to include a really good range of smaller independent stores," added John Harvey.

"We get a whole range of new independents, particularly in Roman Walk and Bedford Street, so that will mark out Princesshay as very different from most other new shopping developments around the country."

The opening of Princesshay will see Debenhams move into a brand new store, creating a further opportunity for development on the site of the old store.

The developers are Land Securities and the contractors are Sir Robert McAlpine.