Preston’s new entertainment and leisure destination Animate will finally be officially opened next week.

More than a decade since plans first emerged to replace the former Indoor Market with a cinema and restaurants, the ribbon will be cut on the £45million complex by Nick Park CBE on Thursday (20 February).

Read more: Nick Park to officially open Preston’s Animate cinema and leisure complex

A number of businesses will occupy spaces in the 29,500 sq ft venue, which is situated between Ringway and Preston Markets.

Here we take a look at what will open and when – and what you can expect from each offering.

Already open: Argento Lounge

Argento Lounge became the first business to begin trading when it launched in Unit 2 on Wednesday 5 February. 

The venue – operated by West Country-based café/bar group Loungers – features heavily patterned wallpapers, tiling and stripped wooden floors, and is open throughout the day for coffee, brunch, lunch, dinner and drinks.

Loungers says the Argento Lounge team will be encouraged to connect with the community by working with local groups, charities, organisations, and businesses. 

See what Kate and Ellie made of Loungers when they visited in our review

In pictures: Argento Lounge opens in Preston’s Animate

Thursday 20 February: Taco Bell

Mexican-inspired Taco Bell will serve customers from Unit 4 from 10am to 10pm Tuesday to Sunday, and from 11am to 10pm on Mondays. The brand, which began in California in 1962, serves burritos, nachos, quesadillas and, of course, tacos.

The eatery is run by franchisee Soul Foods Group, which describes their aim as delivering a great customer experience with bold flavours but also creating jobs and contributing positively to the local community.

Interestingly, Taco Bell made the top five most-wished-for additions to Preston’s dining scene when we asked readers back in 2016.

See our review of Taco Bell

Read more: Preston wants these restaurants in the Markets Cinema plan

Friday 21 February: The Arc Cinema

The day after Nick Park’s visit to the city, The Arc Cinema will open its doors to the public. The Preston location joins other Arc Cinemas in Great Yarmouth, Beeston, Hucknall, Daventry, Peterhead and Rotherham.

The eight-screen cinema will have recliner seating throughout, a 4k laser projection as standard and its hypersense premium large format screens with surround sound.

Update: See everything you need to know about The Arc Preston

The Arc team says inclusivity is at the heart of what it does, and it plans to partner with local organisations so the cinema can become a ‘vibrant part of Preston’s cultural fabric’.

In pictures: Inside Preston’s new The Arc Cinema at Animate before opening

Saturday 8 March: Hollywood Bowl

Hollywood Bowl will open early next month in Units 1-9, offering 16 lanes, an American style diner, bar and amusements area.

Nearly £3million has been spent on the venue, which is already taking bookings. The ten-pin bowling alley will offer various promo deals such as 50 per cent off games before 11am, and a game and a drink for £5.

Hollywood Bowl says it strives to deliver affordable fun family, welcoming people of all ages and abilities.

Read more: ‘Directors of fun’ wanted for Hollywood Bowl at Animate

Early April: ASK Italian

Casual dining restaurant chain ASK Italian will open its doors in April.

The brand has 65 locations in the UK, with the nearest to Preston currently being Manchester, Liverpool and Warrington. Founded by brothers Adam and Samuel Kaye in 1993 – the name is made up of their initials – the chain is now part of the same group that owns Zizzi.

ASK Italian menus feature bread and nibbles, starters such as cheese fondue and calamari, pizza, pasta, risotto, salads and specialty mains.

Late April: Mad Giant Food Hall

The Mad Giant Food Hall is set to contain a cocktail bar and four street food outlets.

The venue will be run by Manchester-based Northern Lights Group, which is said to be well accustomed with the concept of food halls, successfully operating throughout the North West.

It’s not yet known which small businesses will occupy the food hall, but the expectation is they will be local to Preston.

Read more: Local traders will give Animate a very Preston focus 

May: COSMO Authentic World Kitchen

The COSMO ‘All You Can Eat World Buffet’ is set to open in Animate in May, serving unlimited courses from around the world for one set price.

Diners can expect to choose from a selection of Japanese, Italian, British, Indian and Chinese dishes, plus desserts including a chocolate fountain, all washed down with free-flow soft drinks.

Since opening in 2003, COSMO has expanded and now has 21 restaurants throughout the UK and Ireland. One nearly opened in Preston in 2013, and the hype signage is there until this day.

Read more: Cosmo Restaurants to bring multi-cuisine buffet to city centre

Date TBC: Las Iguanas

There’s no official opening date yet published for Las Iguanas, the Latin American chain that started out in a quiet Bristol street in 1991, but it is one of the businesses that has been touted to appear in the lineup for some time now.

These days there are 52 Las Iguanas restaurants across the country, with the nearest to Preston currently being at Middlebrook Retail and Leisure Park in Bolton.

Las Iguanas says its chefs cook from scratch making salsas, sauces and curries by hand each day, to celebrate the flavours, pleasure and joy of Mexico and South America.

What are you most looking forward to trying when everything opens? Let us know in the comments.

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This story was made possible by you, our readers, and a host of organisations in the city, through our Crowdfund Lancashire appeal, which unlocked support from the Lancashire Culture and Sport Fund provided by Lancashire County Council. You can see all our coverage and, if you know of an arts project or event in the city we should be covering, you can submit it for our event listings and/or send details to contactus@blogpreston.co.uk for us to cover it as a story on the Blog.