Hammerson has signed Showcase Cinema de Lux as an anchor for its £50m leisure extension at Centrale, Croydon.

The 1,900-seat, 11-screen cinema is the first pre-let to be secured for the redevelopment and will be the first London location for the brand’s owner National Amusements.

National Amusements has more than 950 screens in the US, UK and Latin America and operates under its Showcase, Multiplex and Showcase Cinema de Lux brands. National Amusements’ Cinema de Lux has already opened at two of Hammerson’s shopping centres in Leicester and Bristol.

The extension to Centrale will also include two flagship retail stores and eight restaurants.

Lawrence Hutchings, Hammerson managing director UK retail, said securing National Amusements’ first London cinema was “a testament to the strength of Croydon’s retail potential”.

The planning decision on the proposed extension to the Centrale scheme will be made tomorrow night.