With just one month to go before the grand opening of the £350 million Rock leisure complex, reporter Dale Haslam went on site to get a sneak preview of how things were taking shape, ahead of an open day this Sunday

IT was a damp and blustery day in September that I last set foot onto the mammoth construction site at the heart of Bury that everyone is talking about.

And how things can change in nine months!

What was a shell of concrete pillars and metal scaffolding is now an attractive piece of 21st century architecture, the likes of which any major town or city would be proud.

The project will conclude with a fun-filled launch day on July 16 and, with the sun shining, I met developers on site to see how final preparations were getting on.

The first thing to see is the centrepiece leisure block at the front of the complex.

We took the escalator to eight first-floor restaurants, including Pizza Express and Frankie and Benny’s.

The eateries will be fitted out last when building materials have been cleaned away.

But project bosses are confident that diners will be able to enjoy all of them — and their superb outdoor balconies — on the opening day.

Travel a floor up, however, and it is a different story.

The £2.5 million AMF bowling alley is almost ready and looks a top draw for people wanting a good night out.

As we left the building and turned right, I got my first sight of what will be a shopper’s paradise.

This is High Street, with dozens of familiar fashion brands spread down either side of the parade.

At the very far end is department store Debenhams, which looked gleaming as staff inside kitted out the interior. To reach it, we passed Primark, which is almost finished. It is the clothes retailer’s biggest store in the North West outside of Manchester.

Right outside Debenhams is St John’s Gardens, which is due to be adorned with a piece of stylish artwork.

Towering over Debenhams to the left is Marks and Spencer and there are even more shops round the corner.

There is still a great deal of work to be put in, but things are coming together quickly.

The Rock’s marketing manager, Nikki Kitchen, said: “We are really looking forward to the opening.

“It is going to have a huge impact on the town and people keep asking what is going to be there.

“It is really exciting.”

* To see the complex for yourself: guided tours take place on Sunday from 11am to 3pm.