The developments

SIPPING cocktails in swish £5m top cuisine restaurant bars is set to turn Victoria Square into a continental piazza. Contemporary glass pavilions adjoining the French Renaissance 1887 civic building will change the town's image and create new jobs, say dynamic developers.

"It will make the beautiful Town Hall stand out even more," said Gary Lockley, property director of Marmalade Widnes Limited. "One will open for Christmas."

He helped to design the innovative Vue Bar & Grill, as part of a £2m refurbishment of the old Co-op, now home to a state of the art training centre and new look Citizens Advice Bureau.

A £10m facelift has seen the square become a contemporary focal point, with stainless steel street furniture and flood lit red brick buildings.

An ambitious £6m project has transformed the Victorian college into a state of the art library, cyber cafe, nursery, youth centre and adult learning suite.

Cllr Rob Polhill, board member for development, said: "Hopefully, the square will become a vibrant, cultural quarter.

"There is a desperate shortage of good quality restaurants and this is what we are looking to achieve.

"Office accommodation will help the daytime economy and all these developments will bring job opportunities."

The Cornerhouse pub is expected to be revamped by new owners.

Plush glass fronted apartments are set to turn The Grosvenor pub into a trendy bar with city centre style living accommodation.

Licensee Angela Matthews has created a Mediterranean feel inside her new bar, Rui's, on the roundabout.

She said: "It's a bit of the Med in Widnes, aimed at the 25 and over, with Italian food."

"We're going to broaden the wine list too, people want good quality."

A cinema and comedy club will soon breathe new life into the 19th century Queens Hall.

Plans for a wine bar in the former job centre and a new nightclub for 1,000 people in Widnes Road are also taking shape.

"We are working very closely with the police to get this right," said Cllr Polhill. "CCTV will play an important role ensuring people not only go out and enjoy themselves but in a safe and attractive environment."

REELING IN BLUE CHIP FIRMS

INTERNATIONAL blue chip companies are locating their HQs at Halton's multi million pound European office park.

Thousands of specialised IT and scientific jobs are being created as prestigious firms move into the giant Daresbury Park.

"Top quality highly professional jobs are coming to Halton," said Cllr Rob Polhill, board member for development.

"A lot of companies have set up their HQs here because of our close links to the motorway network and airports.

"We knew it would be popular but the expansion has far exceeded our expectations."

Swiss-based worldwide engineering consultants ABB Eutech created 300 jobs when it moved its corporate HQ from Northwich. British Nuclear Fuels now operates the HQ of its corporate services function in Daresbury.

The De Vere Group manages its giant hotel, leisure and fitness business behind the De Vere Daresbury Park Hotel.

The world's largest insurance company, HS Admin Services, a subsidiary of Aegon, Vistorm, an internet security company and stockbroker listed civil engineering consultants, James Knowles are other big names lured to Halton.

Atos Origin is just one of several esteemed companies creating more opportunities in neighbouring Manor Park.

"When we embarked on this, a lot of our graduates ended up working where they went to university," said Cllr Polhill. "Now, with all these high technology niche industries, especially in science, they can now develop their careers here.

"People are coming back and we now have the homes that professionals aspire to."

TOP FIRMS ARE WOOED TO HALTON

INNOVATIVE firms at the cutting edge are soon to move into the two latest impressive glass fronted buildings created beside Daresbury Laboratory.

"We are expecting the first three or four high growth technical start up businesses to move in this month," said Paul Trelaw, manager of Daresbury Innovation Centre, the building at the bottom of the hill.

"A steady stream of businesses like this will follow."

The second building has been earmarked for a prestigious new national institute, set to open later this year.

"Manchester, Lancaster and Liverpool University will be working with Daresbury Laboratory on leading edge accelerator research," said Mr Trelaw.

Many more new jobs are predicted as the country's top businesses are wooed to Halton.