About Fettlers
Fettlers is Wigan’s most ambitious regeneration project, transforming the former Galleries Shopping Centre into a vibrant, mixed use neighbourhood at the very heart of the town centre. This regionally significant redevelopment is being delivered through a partnership between Wigan Council and regeneration specialist Cityheart, marking a major step forward in the town’s long term growth and renewal.
Designed as a place where people can live, work, shop and enjoy their leisure, Fettlers will bring new life, energy, and opportunity to Wigan town centre. The development combines homes, workspace, hospitality, leisure, and high quality public spaces to create a welcoming destination for residents, businesses, and visitors alike.
Fettlers is rooted in Wigan’s proud heritage while embracing a modern, forward looking vision so creating a sustainable, people focused neighbourhood that supports economic growth, community wellbeing, and town centre living.
Project Background
The Council purchased the Galleries shopping centre in 2018 to help reverse the decline of the town centre. In 2019, the Wigan Town Centre Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) identified the site as a key opportunity to drive economic growth and reshape the town centre for the future.
Town centres are evolving. More people want to live and work in central locations, and visitors expect a wider mix of shops, leisure activities, and experiences they can’t get online or at out‑of‑town retail parks. Shifting shopping habits, accelerated by the pandemic, have placed additional pressure on local businesses. To stay vibrant and resilient, town centres need a more diverse and sustainable offer.
In 2025, the new identity for the former Galleries site was brought together by a focus group of residents and partners along with local businesses and organisations who chose the name Fettlers, which is rooted in Wigan’s proud heritage, stemming from local dialect. The ‘People Make Wigan’ campaign (external link) provides an overview of the consultation process undertaken.
How will we redevelop The Galleries?
The redevelopment of The Galleries will include:
- New market hall
- New Hampton by Hilton hotel
- A multi media centre
- 464 residential units
- Landscaped public realm square for annual outdoor events.
This diverse offer will benefit existing retailers by bringing more footfall and custom to the town.
The Market
As a traditional market town, Wigan Council’s vision for the town centre puts the market at the heart of its ambitious plans.
A new market will be developed and located at Marketgate. This location was suggested by a number of traders during consultation meetings due to its central location, fronting onto Wigan’s main thoroughfare, Standishgate, and its proximity to public transport routes helping to increase footfall.
The market itself will be part of a diversified new market hall offer, including a food hall, cafe, co-working and workshop space, winter gardens and the opportunity to have an outdoor offer within the new Woodcock Square and in front of the new market hall.
Meet the developer
Following a procurement process, the Council selected Cityheart Ltd as its development partner to deliver the redevelopment. Cityheart are a north-west based property development and investment company who specialise in mixed-use town centre regeneration projects, with a 20 year track record of delivering such projects across the country, working almost exclusively with and for the public sector.
Protecting our heritage
This scheme does not include any listed buildings, so no listed buildings will be demolished as part of the development. English Heritage were consulted when drawing up the proposals and their suggested changes have been incorporated into the scheme.
In the wider town centre, a 'Heritage Action Zone', established to bring unused historical buildings back to life, is underway on King Street and will complement The Galleries project once complete.
Want to know more?
To find out more about The Galleries redevelopment project, you can:
To learn about other major developments within our borough, visit Our Future Borough.
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