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Thousands of people packed into the brand new £84m Whiteley shopping centre today for the grand opening – with Denise Van Outen cutting the ribbon on the Mamas and Papas store.
Denise Van Outen officially opens the Mamas and Papas store at Whiteley
People packed the avenues of the shopping centre during the build up to the official opening at 11am today. The rain even did its bit by holding off until the shops were able to let shoppers in for the first time.
A gusting wind meant the main attraction for the opening – a heliosphere and mid-air acrobatics – could not go ahead but instead giant shopping bags blew out blue and white ticker tape that covered the crowds gathered in the central square.
People had started gathering up to three hours ahead of the official opening so they could take advantage of some special offers on the opening day.
Debbie Fowler from Whiteley who was first in the queue for H&M and was quickly joined by Eliza Reynolds and Steven Jinkerson from Fareham
One of those was Debbie Fowler, 26, from Coleridge Drive in Whiteley, who started queuing outside H&M at 9am and was the first in the queue.
“I love H&M,” said Debbie. “It is one of my favourite shops and this means I now don’t have to go all the way to Southampton because it is right here on my doorstep.
“I have been living in Whiteley for four years so I can remember what was here before – that was rubbish. I am so glad they have done this.”
Heidi Bone from Havant at Mamas and Papas
Heidi Bone from Havant was the first in the queue at Mamas and Papas ahead of its opening by TV presenter and Strictly Come Dancing star Denise Van Outen. But she was first in the queue by accident.
“I got here at 9.40 because I thought it opened at 10,” she said. “I am expecting on June 1 so it made sense to come here and browse and see what they have got.”
Mum Louise Barlow, 32, was the first to speak to Denise Van Outen at Mamas and Papas and have photos with baby David, three months old.
The mum from Fareham said: “It was nice to hear another mum’s experience. Even though I’m not pregnant it will be nice to read about her experience and see if it was similar to mine. It doesn’t look like she’s had a child. She was a really lovely person and the reading of the book was very good.”
Whiteley mum Sue Truckel, 38, whose third child is due in two weeks was delighted to speak to Denise.
“She’s lovely and a very friendly person,” said Sue, of Bluebell Way. “It’s nice that she’s put her pregnancy into words. I’ve never had a caesarean so I don’t know the experiences that she went through. But it’s the same feelings that she described when your baby is born and it brought it all back to me.”
Angela miles, 67, from Stubbington, and daughter Debbie Winslade, 44, from Whiteley were celebrating the morning with some free wine from Next.
“When they knocked down the old centre I really didn’t think they would rebuild it,” said Debbie.
“I love it! It’s not going to be good for my account though.”
Click one of the images below to launch our image gallery from today’s opening:
