AFTER a much-anticipated wait, Batley Plaza will finally be opening its doors for a soft launch this weekend.

The Plaza which was bought by Z&F Properties Ltd in 2019 will be open to customers after the long delays caused by Covid on April 16 at 3 pm.

Zahid Iqbal, owner of the shopping centre said: “It’s been a long haul, but we’re excited to finally let people inside.

“Covid set us back and there was a lot more working that needed doing than we initially thought.”

Batley Plaza boasts 22 independent stores ranging from retail to food, 12 of which will be open on the day.

“It’s Ramadan so the food stores won’t be open, but we have a lot for customers.

“As the high street changes, we want to make Batley Plaza a social space, where people can get together and browse around, whilst grabbing a coffee.

“It’s bringing people back to the town centre and restoring that community spirit.”

A bigger launch will be held in the coming weeks as Ramadan comes to a close.

“This is for us to get our bearings and to see what works and doesn’t, so that we can be prepared for the bigger opening."