“We’re a town centre so traditionally that’s known as ‘convenience shopping’, but now Watford is going to be a destination.”

If you’re not already on tenterhooks about the incredible transformation happening at intu Watford, and the town centre as a whole, then prepare to get excited.

On hearing details of the shopping centre redevelopment project you might take little interest in anything other than an enormous sum of money coming to well over £200 million - an £180 million extension as well as an additional £13 million for the makeover announced yesterday, on top of the existing £40 million.

However as the vision of the project slowly but surely comes together, after almost three years’ of work, the changes are becoming an extraordinary and palpable reality.

General manager at intu Watford, Vicky Costello, explains: “It’s a really positive story for Watford and for retail because lots of places wanted to upsize here and a number of keys brands wanted to come, but because of the nature of the shopping centre as it was, the opportunities to increase were few and far between. We needed to get bigger.”

Popular brands, including Debenhams, Jack Wills and Superdry will be welcomed to Watford in the autumn, while existing stores will be expanding such as H&M and New Look – but there’s so much more to it than shopping.

“The whole concept of retail is now combined with leisure,” Vicky tell me. “If you’re a customer and you go out and you want to go shopping, you might also want something to eat or have a drink, or even go to the cinema and combine all those elements.”

As a result, intu have gone above and beyond to meet those needs, securing a nine screen IMAX Cineworld cinema, Hollywood Bowl, a climbing wall and many bars and restaurants such as TGI Friday, Yo Sushi and The Florist.

The latter is owned by New World Trading Company (NWTC) who are known for its iconic venues such as The Botanist, a world famous cocktail bar. The Florist will offer deli, rotisserie and grills along with a selection of gluten free, dairy free and vegan dishes and floral cocktails inspired by one of the three main styles of floristry - English Summer Garden, Ikebana and Modern Contemporary.

“This will give everything in one place,” Vicky says, oozing enthusiasm. “It is livening up and creating a vibrancy in Watford and it’s going to be fantastic. This is changing shopping.”

Considering the town is a mere 20 minutes from central London on the train, and already has the Harry Potter Studio Tour and Watford Football Club, I mused with Vicky over how much more appealing Watford will become, even transforming into a destination of its own right.

Vicky vehemently agrees: “It can only make Watford even more vibrant with people being able to pop onto the train at Euston and walk down Clarendon Road to this amazing offering.

“We’re competing with the very best. Data specialist CACI have a top 100 list of destinations in the country and Watford was in the top 40s, this development will lift the town into the top 20 and we will certainly see footfall from outside as people come from further to shop.

Thinking of those who already frequent the town she adds: “Certainly as well, for people working in Watford who commute back out, they will be able to stay after work and have an evening with more to do.

“People want to be part of Watford as the community, not just working there and travelling in. It will grow the community feel, and I have to say Watford is very strong as a community anyway. The whole town will benefit from having this on our doorstep.”

A development of this kind must have a huge effect on the economy here in Watford, but this is something Vicky can’t tell me too much about, understandably.

“It isn’t my expertise, I run shopping centres, but I can’t see why it won’t be for the benefit of Watford. At intu we are taking on an extra 50 people to manage it and that’s just us. All the retailers and leisure places, all those new jobs, I think it’s a fantastic story.”

Vicky certainly seems like the perfect women for the job. After leaving school she took a job at C&A’s bygone UK business doing payroll, something she thought would be short term.

Vicky stayed there until it closed 11 years later: “I was the customer service manager but I did a huge variety of roles while I was there; facilities, HR and customer service.

“I’ve done a variety of roles across intu as well such as customer service manager, I was operations manager for many years and became general manager a couple of years ago.

“My job is to bring the absolutely best business we possibly can and have some fun while we’re doing it.”

She has been working for intu for 17 years, the last 12 have been spent at Watford after moving over from Lakeside, and she says: “I absolutely love my job, I wouldn’t be without it.”

I wondered what she was most excited about at the redevelopment: “Definitely the leisure element,” she says, before correcting herself. “That’s after Debenhams, because we know our customers have been asking for it for years and year and years. They have changed to concept of their stores now, it’s fabulous. All the brands they bring is very exciting.

“Of course the cinema in the heart of town, it is fantastic to have achieved that, and you can’t beat a bit of bowling! Especially for younger customers looking for something to do.”

It is evident, however, that Vicky finds the most joy in that of her customers. I asked what kind of feedback her and the team have received from the people of Watford, and she was beaming throughout her reply.

“Really positive. I don’t say this lightly, but exceptionally positive. Customers now just want it to be open, they want to walk through those doors and see it.

“We’ve got two great big windows at one end of the centre so customers can look out and see it. People are watching Watford grow.

“When we stand there and explain to people what’s coming, what’s going to fit in there, their faces just light up and they tell us that they can’t wait.”