A NEW open space in Oxford's revamped £440m Westgate Centre is to be named Leiden Square to remind visitors of one of the city's key twinning links.

The name of the new south square in the development will be officially revealed at the Oxford European Association reception at the town hall today.

City council leaders will welcome visitors from Oxford’s twin cities who are visiting for Remembrance Sunday.

City council leader Bob Price said naming of the square after the Dutch twin city was a positive move to reinforce the cities' links 'in the context of Brexit.'

He added: "Whatever happens with Brexit, we do not want to find ourselves isolated from Europe so we are trying to reinforce our strong links."

The square will be named after Leiden to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the link.

With Leiden Square in the south of the new Westgate quarter, and Bonn Square in the north, the name will commemorate Oxford’s connections with its two oldest twin cities.

Henri Lenferink, the Burgemeester of Leiden, and Helmut Kollig, the Burgermeister of Bonn, will attend, with Pascal Clouaire, Adjoint to the Mayor of Grenoble.

Mr Price added: "Oxford is proud of its long-standing links to cities both in Europe and throughout the rest of the world.

"As an international city, twinning is a tradition that we intend to strengthen and will encourage strong participation from all sections of Oxford’s community.

"The naming of the new Leiden Square is an opportunity to commemorate our friendship in a permanent form, and to remember the tragic events of the Second World War which brought the three cities of Bonn, Leiden and Oxford together."

John Chipperfield, from Kidlington, who is chairman of the Oxford Leiden Link, said: "All our members will be delighted by this - it's a daily reminder for shoppers of the link between the two cities."

Roelof Hol, chairman of the link in Leiden, added: "We are very proud to have Leiden Square as we don't actually have a square in Leiden itself.

"There is a very strong future for this link, despite Brexit."

Sara Fuge, development manager for the Westgate Alliance, added: "We are delighted visitors to Westgate Oxford will be able to enjoy using the new Leiden Square when we open in October 2017.

"This exciting new space in the heart of our scheme will be somewhere for everyone to enjoy, whether it’s a stop-gap from shopping or eating out, to rest and take in your surroundings, or to enjoy the events that we will host here."

Next year on Remembrance weekend the city council is planning to unveil a plaque in the square to mark the 70th anniversary in a ceremony which will be attended by the Burgemeester of Leiden and will feature performances from the Netherlands most famous marching band which was set up by the Free Dutch Army and the exiled Dutch Royal family in Congleton in 1941.