WILKO will be opening a store in Worcester.

The budget store is the latest signing for the Cathedral Square complex which is set to open this summer.

The deal is the largest letting in the city centre in seven years and follows Salmon Harvester Opportunity Fund’s £20million transformation of Cathedral Square - which is now 90 per cent pre-let.

Wilko Retail Ltd has signed a 10-year lease, at a rent of £380,000 pa, on a 20,000 sq ft unit.

The new store, which will open during this summer, is being created for the retailer from the former Dorothy Perkins store and the former Lychgate Mall.

Matthew Meaden, of Salmon Harvester Opportunity Fund, said: “This letting shows renewed confidence by retailers in the city centre, following the council’s decision to refuse planning consent for the proposed out of town development Worcester Woods.

"Work is progressing exceptionally well with the refurbishment and we are looking forward to launching the revitalized scheme next summer.”

Cathedral Square has already signed a number of new retail and leisure tenants including Hotel Chocolat, Ask, All Bar One, Byron Hamburgers, Cosy Club, Miller and Carter and Fitness4less.

The new shopping and leisure centre is set to create hundreds of new jobs and has already seen the integration of a new route system on Deansway, which runs past the Cathedral.

BNP Paribas Real Estate acted for Wilko. Hartnell Taylor Cook, Johnson Fellows and DMR acted for SHOF. Local contractor Speller Metcalfe is undertaking the refurbishment works.