It's official - Nando's is coming to Robin Park in Wigan

It has perhaps been the worst kept secret in town, but it was officially confirmed this week that one of two units soon to be built in the middle of the Robin Retail Park will be occupied by the eatery, years after the business first expressed an interest in investing here.

A second unit - whose occupant is yet to be decided - is also being constructed nearby along with a communal square/piazza which will be pressed into use for the likes of Christmas markets, summer fairs and pop-up shops.

There had been some grumblings from shoppers about lost parking even before the famous tenant’s name was mooted.

But those in charge of the development point out that with more than 800 spaces surviving after the building work, it will still have many more than most retail parks.

The news will perhaps also be regretted by some that this isn’t happening in Wigan town centre where so much effort is being made to fill empty units and encourage the hospitality industry to invest there.

But the Robin Park scheme will bring jobs and is also expected to boost other local businesses.

It had first been suggested that Nando’s might move into the former Sharpy’s fish and chip restaurant next to the DW Stadium.

That came to nought; then the chain was granted planning permission in 2016 to build an outlet as part of a now stalled redevelopment of the neighbouring leisure park, other elements of which would have included the building of a new hotel and a revamp of the multiplex cinema.

But that permission lapsed after three years and it was thought that Leigh might remain the only part of the borough to play host to the brand.

However several weeks ago, Leeds-based contractor RFM moved onto the retail park, fenced off a central area and began excavations.

Word began to spread that both a Nando’s and a Greggs were on their way.

Greggs have since confirmed they are moving into the Asda supermarket.

But this week London-based project manager Cogent BC, which is acting on behalf of the Robin Park landlord Nuveen, confirmed that it is under contract to build an outlet for Nando’s and it is set for a June opening.

Partner at Cogent, Paul Hewitt, said: “We think it is an exciting prospect to have such a highly-regarded and well-known restaurant operator coming to Wigan and I think it will improve the offer of the park for the people who shop there and those who go to other facilities and venues nearby including the football and rugby.

“Restaurants improve ‘dwell time,’ meaning people are less likely to dart in and out of a retail park if there is a chance to stop for a meal or a coffee midway through; so this has benefits for other businesses at Robin Park too.

“As far as parking is concerned, there are circulatory and congestion issues inevitably caused by the work at the moment, but these are temporary and, once the project is complete,

“Robin Retail Park will still have well over 800 parking spaces which means it remains a retail park with one of the bigger car parks in the country.

“In order to provide a safe working area for the contractors a larger area than will be occupied by the units and piazza is currently fenced off, so quite a few parking spaces will be back in use on completion.”

The works are being overseen by RFM site manager David Wilcock, himself a Wiganer, who explained that at present piling is taking place in preparation of the foundations going in, and work is also starting on drainage diversions.

The restaurant will be 4,200ft sq in size - equivalent to the block together occupied nearby by Subway, the Card Factor and Carphone Warehouse. The second unit will be a little more than a third of that size.

Mr Hewitt said there were several prospective occupiers for the second unit but he was unable to disclose which was the frontrunner at present.

He added that while Nando’s was keen to move in as soon as possible and that the plan was for it to be ready by June, the other unit and piazza might only be completed in July.

Specialising in Portuguese food such as peri-peri chicken dishes, Nando’s was founded in South Africa in 1987 and within a decade had more than 100 restaurants. Since then it has grown 10-fold into 34 other countries.