Date set for Telford's Southwater development to open
Signs have gone up at Shropshire's first Imax cinema as a date was set for the official opening of a landmark development.
Southwater One, Telford town centre's flagship shopping and entertainment venue, will open for business on Monday, July 14.
The £250 million development includes a Cineworld cinema with a giant Imax screen, along with a Premier Inn hotel, Pizza Express, Harvester, Chimichanga, Zizzi, Bella Italia, Nando's and Wagamama are all taking shape.
Workmen used a crane yesterday to lift the Imax sign into place.
The opening of Southwater One, which houses a library, First Point and Costa Coffee, will be followed up by the opening of a number of leading food and drink outlets on the ground floor of the cinema and hotel as well as in front of the ice rink and bowling and bingo building.
The redevelopment of Southwater will create a new vibrant heart for Telford town centre and will be complemented in time by the planned £200m redevelopment of Telford Shopping Centre.
Telford & Wrekin Council leader Councillor Kuldip Sahota said: "The Southwater development has been a long time in planning and then construction but now we really are there in terms of different elements of it opening to the public.
"It is a landmark time for Telford and a very exciting time for everyone who lives and works here.
"The borough as we know it will change forever as a result of the development opening and we really are in the position where Telford is about to become a major regional destination."
Southwater One has a library on the first floor with a quiet reading area overlooking the park as well as spaces to work, meet friends and enjoy events and activities.
It will have 25,000 books available to suit customers of all ages whatever their tastes as well as a range of audio books.
