Famous store set for £105m revamp

The iconic building would be cleaned up under the revamp

The new owners of a famous Liverpool building have unveiled plans to transform the former department store, while keeping its historic features.

Developers want to transform the Grade II listed Lewis's building into a £105m city centre "leisure destination".

It means creating a hotel, cinema, bars, restaurants and shops within the nine-storey building.

The exterior of the building - and the Liverpool Resurgent statue - would be cleaned and preserved.

Joint venture partners Merepark and Capital & Counties said the plans followed months of consultation with Liverpool City Council, England Heritage and regeneration company Liverpool Vision.

1,000 jobs

Developers say they are committed to a "constructive conservation" of the building which looked to its future as a sustainable development.

Despite being one of the city's most famous stores, Lewis's went into administration in February 2007 and was sold.

Ian Jones, Merepark director, said: "We've developed a scheme which will preserve the character of Lewis's, with the key historical features being retained.

"Internally, customers will recognise the main entrance staircases and fluted columns and many other original features as they are retained or given new use within the scheme."

The plans also include a new open pedestrian street which leads out onto a new plaza and connects into the Central Village development in the city.

If approved, developers say the up to 1,000 extra jobs could be created at the site.