A 10-month countdown to the opening of the revamped £440m Westgate Centre has been marked today by the announcement of 13 new retail brands and two new restaurants.

Burrows & Hare grooming boutique, which has a shop at the Covered Market, is among the new names to be announced, together with Body Shop, clothing chain Gant, confectioners Hotel Chocolat, JD Sports, and Accessorize.

Vietnamese street food chain Pho, and gourmet American diner chain Dirty Bones will also open branches at the revamped centre.

The 800,000 sq ft centre, run by Westgate Oxford Alliance, is now almost 70 per cent pre-let and is due to open in October.

Construction work has been progressing well at the centre.

Retailers announced today include women's clothing brand Mint Velvet, make-up experts Smashbox, Gant, Body Shop, T2, Hotel Chocolat, Guess, JD Sports, Oxford menswear and grooming specialists Burrows &Hare, Trotters, Accessorize, Lush and Aveda.

A 140,000 sq ft John Lewis department store will anchor the new centre, sitting alongside premium fashion brands Michael Kors, Hugo Boss, Ted Baker, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein and high street favourites Cos, H&M, Russell & Bromley and Victoria’s Secret Pink.

The boutique cinema chain Curzon Cinemas is also opening.

Stephen Wall, Founder of Pho, said: “A lot of research goes into identifying the perfect base for our restaurants and Westgate Oxford ticked all the boxes for us.

"The site is well-designed, inviting and in an unbeatable location. We’re looking forward to opening Pho in what looks set to be the most exciting new addition to one of the UK’s most visited cities this year."

Dirty Bones’ new venue will be the chain's first branch outside London, and its first site within a shopping scheme.

Naomi Howard, leasing director at Land Securities, a partner in the Westgate Oxford Alliance with The Crown Estate, said: “We are delighted to welcome such high-calibre brands to our already impressive line-up at Westgate Oxford.

"Demand to date has been fantastic for both the retail and leisure offer, ensuring that when October comes Oxford will be a buzzing and vibrant destination to shop, to eat, to drink and to meet friends and watch the sun set over the city’s famous spires.

"We are continuing our conversations with new brands who are looking at Westgate Oxford as their next opportunity to reach their target shopper, and we look forward to announcing more details now that we are reaching the final phase of our lettings cycle.”

At the new centre there will be more than 100 new stores, 25 restaurants and cafes, a boutique cinema, and new public spaces including a rooftop garden area.