The Harvey Centre in Harlow has exchanged contracts with cinema operator Cineworld for a new 6 screen cinema on a long lease at the shopping centre.
The cinema letting will anchor a new leisure mall to be developed on the first floor of the Harvey Centre, and follows a planning consent being granted in June this year for a change of use to a cinema and A3 uses at first floor level.
The £9m development is expected to act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the centre, which was built in the 1980’s. It will incorporate a Cineworld multiplex and up to six restaurants of approximately 20,000 sq.ft.
Alex Wagstaff, partner at asset manager Addington, said the new letting to Cineworld would benefit the town centre as a whole with longer trading hours and dwell times for town centre shoppers. “We’re confident Cineworld will attract the national restaurant chains currently under-represented in the town,” he added.
Work is expected to begin on the complex early next year, with Cineworld expected to screen its first showing late 2014.
