MIDI has secured the first letting at The Point shopping centre in Sliema. Debenhams, being the anchor tenant, has become the first retailer to sign up to the 16,133 square metre shopping centre, taking a 2,600-sq.metre store on a long-term lease.

The department store, which is Malta’s first Debenhams, will be operated under a franchise agreement by United Department Stores, a fully owned subsidiary of United Group.

Debenhams is a leading department store group with a strong presence in key product categories, such as womenswear, menswear, home ware and health and beauty. It has a total of 132 department stores in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, and a further seven Desire by Debenhams stores, which are a new small store concept featuring a mix of women’s fashion, accessories, lingerie and cosmetics. Debenhams has a further 30 international franchise stores in different countries.

The Point shopping centre, as it will be known, will trade over three levels and, in addition to the department store, will offer a 1,860 sq.metre supermarket, a 4,200 sq.metre cinema complex and around 50 individual retailing units, ranging in size from 70 sq.metres to 600 sq.metres. The Piazza environment will provide further retail and catering outlets.

The centre forms an integral part of a prestigious mixed-use scheme known as Tigné Point, which is one of the most ambitious development projects ever undertaken in Malta. In addition to the shopping centre, Tigné Point will accommodate offices, hotels and tourist and leisure facilities, together with restaurants and bars and around 485 luxury apartments.

Excavation work is now complete and the main construction work is due to begin in May. The opening of The Point is planned for Spring 2009.