He admits the process of fitting out the premises is “a bit busy”, but he is determined to get “everyone working together” to ensure the long-awaited facility opens on time next year.

THE exact date the attraction will take place – or should welcome – its first visitors is for the moment kept secret, the municipal authorities only committing to an approximate timetable of “early spring”.

The site’s cinema and bowling alley are the first two projects on which internal work has begun since the so-called “practical completion” of the building itself earlier this week. As the most complex Animate offerings to bring to life, they will require a little more time than the five restaurants and combined street food hub and cocktail barwhich will begin to take shape during December.

The only unit whose future has not yet been decided is the one reserved for a place for competitive games, such as an escape room. As the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) revealed last week, the council can still decide to divide this space in two in order to create an additional restaurant and a smaller activity area, while continuing the search for its final tenant.

For John Chesworth, chairman of the private sector-led Preston Partnership, the project is proof positive that the city “can achieve something on this scale” – and will give confidence to potential investors in future projects other than “things can arrive in Preston. .

He added: “One of the things the (real estate) market was probably looking at was (whether they could) get the rents at the level they need – and I think the pre-lets on Animate will send a message to the market that if developers create quality… then there is a market for them in Preston.

Asked if he thought the development would be a boon for downtown as a whole — and reverse the recent trend toward empty commercial spaces — he said Animate was primarily about reimagining the reasons why people go to town.

“There are empty units in Manchester… (and) every town – it’s a retail thing, not Preston’s.

“But Preston is doing something about it, reorienting why people will come to the city center – away from commerce (and towards) entertainment and culture.

“This is a brand new, large scale building in the center of Preston – we haven’t had one for decades. (Having) something to do in the city is absolutely fundamental in creating a place.

“We hope this is the start of a new revitalized city center for Preston,” John added, also highlighting the renovated Harris Museum and upcoming Youth Zone, which are also due to open next year.

Meanwhile, Valerie Wise, the city council’s cabinet member for community wealth development, says one of the Animate complex’s most obvious beneficiaries will be the indoor market that sits alongside it.

“I know that some traders are hoping to extend their opening hours and I can see people… doing some shopping at the market (and) then maybe coming to bowl (or go) to the cinema and have a nice meal” , Cllr Wise said.

She told LDRS that while it was important that the site could boast big, well-known brands like the restaurant chains that will dominate it, she believes there will be enough offerings to guarantee a point of difference per compared to similar offerings elsewhere – and giving Animate a distinctly Preston flavor.

“I think people are used to going to named restaurants, but… the street food market, I’m sure, will flourish – and maybe people who work in the city center will come there -down for lunch.

“And it’s great that the theater has eight different sized screens to be able to show maybe more niche companies on smaller screens… as well as the movies that everyone wants to go see.”

Cllr Wise also refuted the suggestion that moving the center of gravity from Preston to the cultural quarter around Animate would be detrimental to other parts of the city.

“We are renovating the rest of the town center – if you go down Friargate it has been transformed and we hope to do more transformation with our Leveling Up Fund (projects).

“I think it’s important to have a cultural center, but also lots of good shopping – and we’ve spent money (and) we’re spending money to improve the rest of downtown.”

When it comes to money, the price tag for council-owned development means a lot depends on its success. More than £6.5 million for the project comes from Preston’s allocation from the last government’s Towns Fund and a contribution from the City Deal – but much of the rest will be covered by loans taken out by the town hall.

However, Cllr Wise says she is “proud” that the complex is under the control of the local authority – and confident it will be “really a success”.

“I’m sure people will flock here,” she said.

Learn more: See more news about redevelopment in and around Preston

Strong pressure on construction

The tightly enclosed location of the Animate complex – just off the Ringway and just meters from Preston Indoor Market and the neighboring Lime House building – meant its construction presented a challenge.

Matt Friedmann, project manager at Eric Wright Construction – which completed the project in conjunction with Maple Grove Developments – said timing was everything in what he described as a sometimes “tricky” project.

“We had to be very rigorous in the sequence (of the work), due to the scale and depth of the building. Crane operation has always been a difficult task, especially when we were building the frame.

“It (took) a lot of effort to put the framework together (and) we had to sequence that in a way (that allowed us to) build our release, basically. Once the frame was erected, our ability to access the furthest and most interior parts of the building was crippled.

Nonetheless, he said the 97 weeks he spent on physical construction had been “satisfactory” – and had left Preston with a building that was “not your ordinary”.

Subscribe: Stay in touch directly with the latest headlines from the Preston Blog, join our WhatsApp channel And subscribe to our twice-weekly e-newsletter. Both free and straight to your phone and inbox.

Learn more: See the latest news and headlines from Preston