An ambitious plan to create a top class leisure and entertainment hub in Wigan has been given the green light by councillors.

Approval has been granted for the creation of STACK Wigan, a development in part of the former Debenhams store at the Grand Arcade. This space will be transformed into a vibrant hub, featuring a variety of bars, street food outlets, and live music and entertainment.

The successful planning application highlighted the boost STACK would bring to the local economy along with creating a family friendly destination venue for people of all ages.

STACK has built a strong reputation for both repurposing empty buildings – as it has recently done in Lincoln – as well as building container village outlets, including the recently opened St. James’ STACK at Newcastle which welcomed 38,000 visitors in its first four days.

And now the plan is to bring that winning formula to Wigan, which will not only give local street food businesses the opportunity to have a new outlet, but will also create around 140 permanent jobs.

The application highlighted how STACK will “add a vibrancy and contemporary twist to the mix in the area and will directly generate employment and support existing businesses, consequently increasing and invigorating tourism and footfall.”

The proposed development will be able to accommodate up to 2000 people and  will see the creation of a brand new frontage onto Concert Square.

Neill Winch, CEO at STACK, is delighted that the Wigan project has been given the go ahead.

“We've always known that the STACK brand is a perfect match for Wigan, and we're confident that it will become a beloved destination embraced by the local community. STACK is all about creating a vibrant, inclusive space that offers something for everyone, which is why it resonates so strongly wherever we go.

What makes this project particularly exciting is the opportunity to transform a vacant retail unit into a thriving hub of activity. This is a strategic direction for STACK as we continue to breathe new life into underutilised spaces, turning them into destinations that benefit both local communities and businesses.

“We’re thrilled to start bringing this exciting vision to life in Wigan, and we can’t wait to see the impact it will have on the area.”

Since its launch in Newcastle in 2018, the STACK brand has gone from strength to strength, taking its concept of providing street food, bars and live music to new levels.

It currently has three sites – STACK Seaburn in Sunderland, STACK Lincoln and St. James STACK in Newcastle, created in partnership with Newcastle United FC.

Other projects in the pipeline include a second site in Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Whitley Bay, Durham, Bishop Auckland, Carlisle, Northampton, Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield.