▁Property ▁( 4 9 %) ▁and ▁Dep Fa ▁Bank ▁( 2 %). ▁A ▁new ▁ 9 7 0 ▁two - store y ▁car ▁park , ▁ 1 4 ▁st ance ▁bus ▁station , ▁ 4 0 ▁new ▁units ▁within ▁the ▁new ▁phase ▁and ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁ 4 0 0 ▁jobs ▁was ▁the ▁focus ▁of ▁the ▁plans . ▁The ▁Th ist le ▁March es ▁opened ▁to ▁the ▁public ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁retain ing ▁St ir ling ' s ▁importance ▁as ▁the ▁major ▁regional ▁centre ▁out with ▁the ▁main ▁cities . ▁ ▁Standard ▁Life ▁In vest ments ▁eventually ▁bought ▁the ▁entire ▁sho pping ▁centre ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁for ▁£ 3 7 . 2 ▁million , ▁at ▁least ▁a ▁year ▁after ▁the ▁Th ist les ▁March es ▁phase ▁was ▁complete . ▁The ▁company ▁paid ▁£ 8 ▁million ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁fin ances ▁for ▁their ▁contributions . ▁ ▁As ▁The ▁Th ist le ▁Centre ▁stands ▁now , ▁it ▁has ▁well ▁over ▁ 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁sq ▁ft ▁of ▁ret ail ▁space ; ▁its ▁position ▁in ▁the ▁heart ▁of ▁St ir ling ▁allows ▁for ▁a ▁catch ment ▁area ▁of ▁over ▁ 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁people ▁within ▁ 2 0   km ▁of ▁the ▁centre . ▁It ▁is ▁estimated ▁that ▁the ▁centre ▁currently ▁attract s ▁over ▁ 1 2 ▁million ▁visitors ▁per ▁year , ▁with ▁ 3 . 7 ▁million ▁likely ▁to ▁be ▁tour ists ▁from ▁other ▁countries . ▁ ▁St ores