First phase of Liverpool One opens
_tcm81-126505.jpg "Various images of the first phase of Liverpool One")
On 29th May 2008, a new chapter in the development of Liverpool City Centre dawned when the long-awaited £1billion Liverpool One development opened its first phase.
The opening was brought forward by six months in order to open this new area of the city centre's retail core to visitors to the city during its year as Capital of Culture.
The opening of the new shopping arcade reconnected the main shopping street - Church Street - with the Albert and Kings Docks after nearly over two years of being closed to the public.
On the first day of trading, as around 40 shops including Debenhams and John Lewis department stores opened their doors, it was reported that over 200,000 visitors came to have a look around and start buying.
More than 10,000 people flooded into the centre in its first 30 minutes alone, probably also encouraged by the gloriously warm sunny weather as well as a massive advertising campaign in the Merseyside area.
As well as the one million square feet of retail space, 2500 car parking spaces were also opened in the massive underground car park below the street surface.
The second phase, with another 700,000 square feet of retail space, bars, restaurants, cafes, a 14-screen Odeon cinema and the new Chavasse Park offering magnificent views of the waterfront will open on 30th September.
The new Hilton Hotel and the 600 apartment building One Park West will open early in 2009.
The whole development is expected to create 5000 jobs when finished, and will contain 40% of Liverpool's retail outlets.