A BOLD regeneration scheme is required for a Basingstoke shopping centre if the town is to keep up with Reading, Cabinet chiefs were told.

Council officers are developing proposals to give The Malls a facelift after Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council's Cabinet rejected major redevelopment of the site.

But Councillor Andrew McCormick told the latest Cabinet meeting: "We can't afford to do this by halves.

"I think if we look at just a mere facelift, it won't achieve the over-riding objective of breathing new life into The Malls."

He said The Malls shopping centre was decaying and Basingstoke had to be careful not to lose shoppers to rival towns.

"It seems to me we are losing the battle against Reading to keep people in the town centre, so I would urge you to be bold with this," he added.

Cllr Brian Gurden urged the Cabinet not to rule out the option of demolishing and rebuilding The Malls when the internet was changing the face of retailing.

"We don't know what the future, in terms of the next 20 years, will bring," he said.

He also questioned the commitment of developer St Modwen, the council's partners in The Malls.

Council leader John Leek said St Modwen was committed and the council would be talking with them in the next few months.

He added the 79-year leases for some retailers effectively ruled out demolition.

"It would be very difficult to try and buy them out to try to knock it down," he said.

Addressing Cllr McCormick's concerns, Cllr Leek referred to the recent decision of clothes retailer Primark to move into The Malls.

He said: "I don't think Primark would have gone there if they thought it is as bad as you make it out."