An ambitious bid to create a leisure and entertainment hub featuring live music and restaurants and bars in Wigan has been given the green light.

Approval has been granted for the creation of Stack Wigan, a development in part of the former Debenhams in the Grand Arcade.

The department store closed in 2021, was vacant for a period and more recent has had charity Rebuild With Hope using it for outlet brands in the interim.

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Stack is expected to give a huge boost to Wigan's hospitality and evening economies

placeholder image — Stack is expected to give a huge boost to Wigan's hospitality and evening economies

A report on Wigan’s planning portal said: “The proposal includes bar areas and food hall operators at ground level with seating and a stage area which will host live entertainment events, including music and comedy nights.

“This will be replicated on the first floor. A coffee shop is also proposed

The successful planning application highlighted the boost STACK would bring to the local economy along with creating a family friendly destination venue for people of all ages.

Stack bosses say the company has built a strong reputation for both repurposing empty buildings – as it has recently done in Lincoln – as well as building container village outlets, including the recently opened St. James’ Stack at Newcastle which welcomed 38,000 visitors in its first four days.

A very similar Stack to the one planned for Wigan, this being in Lincoln

And now the plan is to bring that winning formula to Wigan, which will not only give local street food businesses the opportunity to have a new outlet, but will also create around 140 permanent jobs.

The application highlighted how Stack will “add a vibrancy and contemporary twist to the mix in the area and will directly generate employment and support existing businesses, consequently increasing and invigorating tourism and footfall.”

The proposed development will be able to accommodate up to 2,000 people and will see the creation of a brand new frontage onto Concert Square.

Neill Winch, CEO at Stack, is delighted that the Wigan project has been given the go ahead.

He said: “We’ve always known that the Stack brand is a perfect match for Wigan, and we’re confident that it will become a beloved destination embraced by the local community. Stack is all about creating a vibrant, inclusive space that offers something for everyone, which is why it resonates so strongly wherever we go.

“What makes this project particularly exciting is the opportunity to transform a vacant retail unit into a thriving hub of activity. This is a strategic direction for Stack as we continue to breathe new life into underutilised spaces, turning them into destinations that benefit both local communities and businesses.

“We’re thrilled to start bringing this exciting vision to life in Wigan, and we can’t wait to see the impact it will have on the area.”

Since its launch in Newcastle in 2018, the Stack brand has gone from strength to strength, taking its concept of providing street food, bars and live music to new levels.

It currently has three sites – Stack Seaburn in Sunderland,S tack Lincoln and St James Stack in Newcastle, created in partnership with Newcastle United FC.

Other projects in the pipeline include a second site in Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Whitley Bay, Durham, Bishop Auckland, Carlisle, Northampton, Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield.