A SOON-TO-OPEN cinema, restaurant and hotel complex shows that Darlington is still able to attract big name investors, said developers who believe it is the best scheme of its type in Britain.

Business Editor Andy Richardson gets a look inside the new Feethams complex 

The Feethams leisure development, which includes a nine screen Vue cinema and 80-bed Premier Inn, will "bring something the town lacks," when it opens around Easter, said Simon Hawkins, development director at Urban & Civic.

He told The Northern Echo the site was a sign that, despite fears about the future of some of the town's most well-loved buildings such as the Victorian Covered Market and Crown Street Library, Darlington was still capable of attracting big name investors.

"These operators are showing their confidence in the future of Darlington," added Mr Hawkins, who was raised in the nearby village of Middleton One Row.

"Vue have been desperate to move into Darlington for a number of years and Premier Inn think very highly of the town. They already have a hotel at Morton Park (Darlington) which they are extending so they know the potential here."

The Feethams site will host restaurants including Nando's, The Chinese Buffet, Prezzo and The Wollen Mill - family-friendly pub run by national chain Hungry Horse. Some of the restaurants will open in the coming weeks ahead of the cinema and hotel which are expected to start trading after Easter.

Mr Hawkins added: "These operators are excited by Darlington. They see expanding businesses in the town, new developments around Central Park such as the Biologics and new business centre, the DFE, Teesside University and Darlington College, and we all know that the town has cracking rail links. There are big plans for the station which is also fantastic for the town.

"Some of these schemes have been a long time coming but it's great to see them coming out of the ground."

More than 1,000 people have worked on the site and it will support about 500 jobs once all of the outlets have opened.

Mr Hawkins hailed Darlington Borough Council for its support in helping to bring the development to life.

He added: "We are delighted with how it has turned out. I think you would be hard pushed to find a better leisure scheme in the UK in terms of the quality of finish and operator line-up. We are just about there and we are very excited."