The Central Mall of Veliko Turnovo opens on September 15, the opening having been delayed from the proposed original date of April.

Three days of celebrations have been planned to announce the opening of the largest and most innovative mall in the region.

Day one will see journalists from around the country attending the official opening, day two promises a fashion show during the day followed by a concert given in the evening by Bulgarian pop group D2, and a disco complete with DJ and prize giving. Festivities conclude on the third day with a puppet show for the children, followed by another fashion parade, more rock groups and a beer festival.

Central Mall is on the main Sofia to Varna road and the mall's web site promises that the mall will provide everything currently lacking in the way of retail opportunities in Veliko Turnovo. However what makes this retail outlet stand out from the crowd is its emphasis on leisure facilities. It boasts a bowling centre, three cinemas, a fitness centre, casino and two art galleries plus a "kids corner", beauty centre and a large food area. Retailers include a huge toyshop, designer clothes wear, perfumery, white goods, and the ubiquitous mobile phone shop.

Central Mall should certainly be a welcome addition to Veliko Turnovo as, currently, retail outlets in the centre of the town seem limited to clothes shops, craft shops and {you've guessed it} several mobile phone outlets. It is hoped that Central Mall will bring in visitors from a wide catchment area, strengthening the overall economy of this increasingly popular town. The beauty of the former capital draws many tourists to it from around the world, sometimes to the detriment of the locals; hence the preponderance of craft shops, the mall should hopefully redress this imbalance. Locals have welcomed the Mall. Dimitar Krankov, a car mechanic in the town, said: "We are not a little village, we should have shops as good as you can find in Sofia" a sentiment echoed by many. Shopkeepers in the main shopping area seem convinced that the mall's location at the edge of town means that their everyday trade will not be adversely affected.  Even foreign residents are pleased. Jane Allenby, formerly of Cheshire in the UK, now living 10 km from Veliko Turnovo, said that she would be attending the opening ceremony "Shopping centres are something we're used to in the UK, it will be nice to be able to pop into one over here and I particularly like the fact that Central Mall is trying to be a social focus point, I'm certainly up for the bowling alleys!"