MORE than 50 per cent of people responding to a Nub News poll believe the Royal Arcade could revive Crewe's town centre.

A majority of those answering our Twitter poll posed after the plans were given the go-ahead yesterday (Wednesday) were positive about the scheme.

But a minority - less than a third voting - believe it could be beset by the economic problems facing the UK's High Streets.

The development will initially see the building of a new bus station and multi-storey car park by August 2023 as part of the first phase of a project, whose hybrid planning application was voted through by Cheshire East Council's strategic planning board.

The second phase of the development is in outline format and detailed plans will need to be submitted at a later date for the retail and leisure outlets the developers Peveril Securities hope to attract.

These include cafés and restaurants, gym, a bowling alley, cinema as well as retail operators.

The demand for the units yet to be built on the site of the demolished shops of the Arcade will be key to its future success and, potentially, the regeneration of Crewe town centre.

Peveril's representative at the board meeting, Malcolm Wilcox, of Cordwell Property, was optimistic about the prospect of attracting hospitality as well as activities-based businesses, such as a soft play centre.

But the economic downturn on the High Street triggered by the pandemic has left the Royal Arcade's long-term plans under scrutiny.

In the Twitter poll - responded to by 48 readers over a 20-hour period - we posed the question whether the development "would attract a good range of leisure and retail businesses to Crewe town centre".

Nearly 23 per cent of those who kindly showed their interest were emphatically positive about the scheme and answered "yes".

Those who agreed the Royal Arcade would "eventually" attract leisure and retail businesses were nearly 21 per cent of the total polling. Less optimistic, but still hopeful of the scheme's success, were the just over 29 per cent who answered "maybe, with investment".

Those who predict trouble lies ahead attracting tenants, clicked on the option "No, the High Street is dead" and they were just over 27 per cent of those responding.

Cordwell's director described the planning approval as a "shared confidence in our proposals for [Crewe] town centre" and believes the first phase will trigger interest in the leisure/retail component.

"The bus interchange , multi-storey car park and public realm works will be a catalyst for the delivery of phase two, which will provide the long-awaited regeneration of the Royal Arcade, transforming the heart of the town with a night-time economy that will provide jobs and entertainment for the residents of Crewe and the wider area," he said.

Cllr Nick Mannion, chair of Cheshire East Council's economy and growth committee, said: "Receiving planning approval for phase one of the Royal Arcade scheme is hugely exciting news for Crewe.

"Crewe's existing bus station has long needed upgrading so that bus passengers and staff can enjoy modern and practical facilities, and so that visitors arriving into Crewe are encouraged to explore the rest of what the town centre has to offer.

"We look forward to beginning the physical works on the ground and providing a facility the town can be proud of, as well as moving forward with the second phase of the Royal Arcade scheme."

The target date for the completion of the full scheme, including improvements to the public realm on Victoria Street and Queensway, is the summer of 2025.