26/11/2009 06:12:00

A £100m revamp of Glasgow's St Enoch shopping centre is set to boost shopping and tourism opportunities in the Scottish city.

The first phase of the makeover is now complete and the shopping complex in the centre of Glasgow boasts the first stand-alone Hamleys store outside London. The toy shop is an iconic brand and it's hoped the opening will boost the popularity of the redevelopment project and further cement Glasgow's reputation as a popular retail destination.

The acquisition of the store is considered a big coup for the central Scotland city and the BBC reports that Alasdair Dunn, Hamleys chief financial officer, claimed Glasgow's reputation as a top UK shopping destination contributed to the decision.

He said: "Expansion plans depend on opportunity and this is a great opportunity for us and is very positive that we're able to open a store and bring over 60 new jobs to Glasgow in the current climate."

St Enoch's upgrade has been funded by the centre's Canadian owners, Ivanhoe Cambridge, and has taken two years so far. The centre has also benefited from new stores from retailers such as Folli Follie, H&M, Costa Coffee and Pulp.

According to the BBC, Susan Nichol, the general manager of the St Enoch centre, expressed her faith in the upgrade. She explained: "St Enoch was 20-years-old and really looked it so what we've done is brought it bang up to date.

"We've built new retail space and we've also upgraded the existing mall."