THE SHADOW of war has not stopped retailers from signing up to the new £63 million Dockside Outlet Centre in Chatham Maritime.

The centre, due to open at the end of June or early July, will eventually be home to more than 70 traders. While bosses admit war and economic uncertainty are not the best of times to launch a big shopping venture, they say interest is holding up pretty well.

Latest signings include Mexx, an international clothing retailer, Camille Lingerie, Caterpillar Shoes - whose brands include Kangol and Dr Martins - Cotton Traders, Bed & Bath Works, Pilot, Ponden Mills, Julian Graves, Designer Room, Officer’s Club, Lifestyle Products, Down Under Cafe, Tog 24, Bookend and Virgin Cosmetics. Other national brands are interested but do not want their names published until they have signed on the dotted line. A spokesman claimed 60 per cent of units have been earmarked.

Colin Wilding, the centre’s commercial director, said it was hard to know whether war with Iraq was having an impact.“We are happy with the interest we’ve got but it might well be we would have had more if the economic climate hadn’t been as difficult as it’s becoming,” he said.

“We are pleased that so many retailers are expressing confidence in the Dockside Outlet Centre and it is evidence of the importance of the centre and the strong position it has within the increasing retail/leisure environment at Chatham Maritime”.