Westwood Cross the leading shopping and leisure destination in East Kent is celebrating its third birthday. Work started on site in 2004 and the shopping centre, with its anchor stores of Next, TKMaxx, Marks & Spencer and Debenhams, opened to the public on June 9, 2005.

Westwood Cross, which is owned by Land Securities, now employs at least 1,500 people. The retail centre has more than 40 national and independent stores as well as a gym, hair design studio and Shopmobility UK services regularly attracting more than 80,000 visitors each week.

And the past year has seen the development and opening of the Westwood Cross leisure park with its multi-screen Vue casino, top restaurants, G Casino and Mecca Bingo Club.

The shopping centre is marking its birthday with a number of special events and promotions including an Italian Market on Friday and Saturday, June 5 and 6, and a style and fashion show presented by Fusion Hair & Beauty on Sunday, June 15.

And eight of the centre’s stores gave their support to a special fashion show at Margate Winter Gardens raising funds for the League of Friends for the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (QEQM) Hospital on Thursday June 5.

Westwood Cross marketing manager Tracie Stevens said: “I feel that Westwood Cross is now a strong part of the local community. During the past three years we have been able to support a wide range of local charities fund raising events and organisations.

“And I have been overwhelmed by the support we have received from local people, such as the representatives of the Dickens Festival, Broadstairs Folk Festival, Joss the Margate Giant, the local hooden horses and the pantomime stars who all took part in our Christmas parade.

“And many school choirs, dancers and young musicians have performed at Westwood Cross. “The shopping and leisure areas are continuing to develop and I am looking forward to being able to promote even more opportunities for local groups to get involved in the future.”

Source: Maxim PR