COUNCIL leader Cllr Russ Bowden says he believes Warrington’s retail offer is stronger than Widnes following fears that the latter’s free town centre parking will drive shoppers away from the area.

He was pressed on the issue during the leader’s forum at Orford Community Hub, on Festival Avenue, on Tuesday evening.

And after being warned free parking provision in neighbouring Widnes could result in people heading out of Warrington and ‘taking revenue away’, Cllr Bowden (LAB – Birchwood) admitted the issue does pose a serious challenge.

He said: “It is difficult as the council doesn’t own all of the parking sites in the town centre.

“There is obviously a bit of a competitive market for parking.

“We think the retail offer in Warrington is strong.

“I think we have a stronger retail offer than Widnes.

“Some may choose to go Widnes but, overall, I think Warrington is a better destination.”

Cllr Bowden was also keen to highlight Time Square – the council’s flagship £139 million town centre regeneration scheme.

Runcorn and Widnes World: Time Square car park

The ambitious project – which will feature a Cineworld multiplex cinema, permanent market hall, council offices and a public square – is planned to officially open in early 2020.

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Cllr Bowden added: “The Time Square scheme will deliver a whole new leisure offer, including a new market, council offices and some restaurants.

“We are trying to get the town centre back to being a family-oriented destination.

“The issue we have is with what we call a vertical drinking culture.

“If you look at the bottom of Bridge Street it is just bars – that’s not the vision we have for the town centre.”

As reported earlier this month, executive board members approved a lease deal for the first Time Square restaurant in what has been hailed as a ‘massive coup’.

The authority says it has widened the type of restaurant operator it is looking to attract – from larger national chains to more ‘niche and innovative operators’.

It adds that a number of targets confirmed they will be ‘much more interested’ if the proposed operator signed up.