THIS is how the building work on the Imperial Food and Drink Quarter is shaping up.
These photographs show how the development is shaping up at the site on Brook Street.
Entrepreneur Ian Pitts has given the Star a first glimpse of how the Imperial Quarter is set to transform the site of a former public toilets on Brook Street.
Artists's impressions have also given a hint at how the town centre premises will look.
Imperial Quarter
The businessman already owns the nearby Cork & Dough restaurant, Imperial Bar, the Secret Garden and The Church, which are on Ormskirk Street – adjacent to the new site.
Now he is pumping further investment into the town centre and work is well underway to construct the new eating and drinking hub, with builders and scaffolders on site today continuing construction.
No opening date has been given for the Imperial Quarter yet, but Mr Pitts is expected to make further annoucements in June when details of which independent food sellers will be locating there will be revealed.
Pic: Bernard Platt
With the new Smokehouse by The Dean opening on Barrow Street today, offering outside hospitality, adjacent to its sister restaurant The Dean, a number of the town's leisure entrepreneurs hope to change the dynamic of the social scene in St Helens.
READ > First glimpse of how Imperial Food and Drink Quarter is set to look
Star readers haver reacted on social media to the news of the upcoming Imperial Quarter.
Hilary Joy Foster said: "Food courts and night markets are great meeting places. The whole family can be together and food is usually very good value plus you can go to different outlets to arrange meals for everyone in your party, then you can browse for shopping, it’s a no brainier good luck with this".
She added: "These venues are all the thing in SE Asia. This will be great if that is what it will be like".
Kelly Johnson wrote: "Ian is a genuinely nice guy, had the pleasure of serving him years ago in the bank. He's putting money back into St Helens to try and get it booming again. Can't wait for this."
Ian Allen said: "It’s a much needed shot in the arm that this town desperately needs".
And Christine Fenlon said: "About time something a bit different".
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