Owners of Bradford's biggest city centre shopping complex today unveiled plans for a massive £3 million revamp.

The Kirkgate Centre which was built in 1976 as a showpiece development in that era will be transformed in a bid to beat off competition from other towns and cities.

The centre attracts about 250,000 shoppers a week and its tenants include Littlewoods, Boots and WH Smith.

Work would begin next February and Prudential, which owns the complex, says it will be completed in October.

Prudential's director of investment John Dixon said today it would remain open throughout and they were in talks with Bradford Council, which owns the car parks, because they would like them to be refurbished.

Kirkgate Centre manager Catherine Riley said: "This is very exciting for everyone.

"It is wonderful news, not just for us, but for the shoppers in Bradford."

The centre was last refurbished in 1986 but Mr Dixon said the new scheme would totally change its appearance, with the main feature being a big glass dome.

The dome will actually sit underneath the car park ramp above the centre but a high-tech artificial sky will be seen by the shoppers below.

The main central square will become circular and a futuristic glazed lift will carry shoppers between the floors.

The escalators, which will be refurbished, will remain. The shopping units are the responsibility of the companies which lease them and will stay basically the same.

Mr Dixon said the centre would be completed well in time for next year's Christmas shopping.

Jeff Frankel, chairman of Bradford Retail Action Group, said: "We are absolutely delighted. It is wonderful that businesses have so much confidence in Bradford that they are willing to invest this amount."

Councillor Dave Green, chairman of the Regeneration Committee, said: "We are delighted that negotiations between the Council and Prudential have proved mutually successful."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.