COUNCILLORS have agreed to spend £1.6 million plugging the losses made by Barons Quay in 2018-19.

Figures put to Cheshire West and Chester Council’s cabinet last month show that the council raked in £1.235 million in rent in 2018-19 – but it spent £2.819 million on operational costs, loan interest and costs for the empty units.

That means Barons Quay made a £1.584 million loss last year – and at Thursday’s meeting members gave the all clear for CWAC to use its reserves to cover the cost.

As the figures were first put to cabinet last month, the council insisted that Barons Quay was due to turn a corner.

And in the past few weeks, CWAC has since confirmed that it is in advanced negotiations with no fewer than eight tenants to open at Barons Quay.

Fashion retailer Flannels and north west café chain The Coffee House have since been confirmed as two of the eight.

They will join Asda, Odeon, Wildwood, H&M, The Entertainer, Card Factory, Sports Direct and food hall Barons Quay Social, which is due to open next month.

Last month, Cllr Richard Beacham, cabinet member for regeneration and growth, said: “It’s no secret that the decision to build Barons Quay was taken at a time when the retail environment was very different from the challenging one we’re experiencing today.

“That’s why our investment in Barons Quay needs to be a long-term commitment to the future of the town.

“As is usual for developments of this type, we anticipated that there would be deficits in the early years that would need to be repaid by future surpluses.”

Meanwhile, CWAC members also agreed to the authority using £1.4 million to fund expansion of Huntington Primary School, in Chester, from 210 places to 420 places.