Mercato Ilford will open in November, it has been confirmed.

The long-awaited fourth Mercato Metropolitano (MM) site will open its doors two years after groundbreaking took place for the project.

Arriving as part of a drive to transform Ilford town centre into a vibrant cultural quarter, Redbridge Council said the Oakfield Road project will generate more than 100 new jobs.

While ground was broken in late 2019, construction was delayed by a further year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Now working on erecting the site since November last year, MM bosses say that over half of the sustainable timber frame has now been built.

The internal fit-out is due for completion in late September, after which the community covered market - part of 'The Spark' Ilford - will welcome the public.

Ilford Recorder: An image showing what Mercato Ilford could look like.An image showing what Mercato Ilford could look like. (Image: Mercato Metropolitano)

Council leader Jas Athwal said: "MM Ilford and SPACE Ilford are both part of the Good Growth Fund regeneration project known as ‘The Spark’ that was developed with the Greater London Authority to kick-start our longer-term ambitions for Ilford town centre.

"This project and the SPACE Ilford art studios are helping to regenerate Ilford by transforming space in the town centre into a vibrant market and art studio.

"These are both huge opportunities for the local economy, as they bring new jobs and businesses."

SPACE Ilford - an artists' hub - has been in residence at the town hall for more than a year.

Mercato Ilford is set to include communal seating for 600 people and space for 30 stalls, including a low-packaging grocery store, as well as a German craft brewery.

It will also boast a rooftop urban farm which will produce herbs and vegetables for the restauranteurs and retailers downstairs.

MM's managing director, Amedeo Claris, added: “This project is a great example of how private organisations such as Mercato Metropolitano and other Spark partners can create synergies with local and regional authorities to deliver inclusive and representative regeneration within city centres.”

Mercato Ilford is being funded by a £1.8million grant, drawn from a £70m public fund dedicated to urban regeneration projects.