Telford Shopping Centre

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Telford Shopping Centre
From everyday to extra special.
From everyday to extra special.
Facts and statistics
Location Telford, England
Flag of the United Kingdom U.K.
Coordinates 52°40′37″N 2°26′50″W / 52.677032, -2.447161
Opening date 1973 [1]
Developer Telford Development Corporation
Management Ray Hoof
Owner Hark & Apollo [2]
No. of stores and services 175 active [2]
No. of anchor tenants 5 (House of Fraser, M&S, Debenhams, BHS, ASDA) [3]
Total retail floor area 100,000 m²
(1,076,391 ft²) [4]
Parking 5,065 spaces [5]
No. of floors 1[6]
Website telfordshopping.co.uk

Telford Shopping Centre is a 50 acre[2] indoor super-regional shopping centre in Telford, England. It is located in the geographical and economic centre of the new town, on land which was previously undeveloped. It is the largest shopping area in the ceremonial county of Shropshire[7], being located roughly equidistant between Shrewsbury, the county town, and the West Midlands conurbation. With a floor area of 100,000 m², the centre is one of the largest in the country, and has an average footfall of 300,000 per week, equating to 15 million per annum.[8] The Centre's catchment population is over 3 million people.[9] The term Telford Town Centre is often used to refer to the shopping centre alone, but the town centre also encompasses the town park and surrounding areas of central Telford.

Contents

[edit] History

The shopping centre was opened in 1973, but only really came under development when it was purchased by the Universities Superannuation Scheme group in 1990. Thenceforth, a refurbishment program was undertaken, including the addition of large roof windows, which admitted more light into the centre. USS also created the Sherwood Square area and added the popular Frog Clock. [1]

By 2001 the centre had 160 stores. By 2006, the centre had approximately 180. This growth can be attributed to the addition of an area known as the 'New Row', which opened in September 2004.[1] This 14,00sqm[10] extension to the west end of the centre added the 7,400sqm[10] anchor store Beatties, which was later renamed House of Fraser in August 2007. Since Beatties opened opened on the 5th of September 2003, car park use has increased on average by between 10 and 12%.[10] Other notable stores were added to New Row at this time, including Zara, Costa Coffee and River Island. [11]

Current anchors of the centre include the new House of Fraser, large Debenhams, recently renovated Marks and Spencer and British Home Stores. Some sources also refer to ASDA as an anchor tenant, and it's probable that the Primark store will become one when its triple-sized extension opens.[3]

In 2006, the centre won the five-star 'Loo of the Year' award, due to the cleanliness and access to its toilet facilities.[12]

[edit] Expansion

An extension is planned for the Primark store, which would involve an extension equal to three times the current retail area of the store.[2] The proposed development would increase the retail area of the centre by more than 50 percent, and lead to the creation of a pedestrianised walkway, 'The Round', which would circle the enlarged centre and provide better access to retail facilities.[13] The number of parking bays will increase to approximately 6,000 spaces, and new bus stops will be located around The Round walkway. There are also plans to move the Ice Rink into an extension of the centre, construct a new department store, and move ASDA supermarket outside the centre into a new building just outisde the circular walkway.[14]

On the 11th of March, 2008 it was announced, as part of Hark & Apollo's plan to revitalise town centre trade, that the 6 anchor stores would stay open until 8pm, as opposed to 6pm. The supermarket ASDA also plans to expand opening times until 10pm. This is stated to be in response to popular demand, and the owners, Hark & Apollo, hope that other stores in the centre will follow suit. [3]

[edit] Impact

The branches of Debenhams and ASDA.
The branches of Debenhams and ASDA.

There has been some controversy amongst traders and other local people in other parts of Telford, such as Wellington, Oakengates, Madeley and Dawley, about the impact of the centre on local traders.

In a typical week, the mall sees around 300,000 visitors, rising to over half a million in the Christmas run-up. The centre is also notably busier at the weekends. [1]

The centre also feasibly draws a significant amount of trade from Shrewsbury, with the centre only being approximately 25 minutes (approx. 15 miles (24 km))[15] drive up the A5/M54 motorway. Shrewsbury, being a historic town, has much more limited access to its two medium-sized shopping centres (Darwin and Pride Hill), and the car parking charges are much higher than in Telford. [16] Up until car parking charges were introduced in 2004, many residents of Shrewsbury drove to Telford to experience the free parking and wider range of stores, but this bonus has now been retracted. [10]

[edit] Access

The area is best reached from the east via junction 5 of the M54 motorway and from the west via the A5 which leads onto the M54. There is also a railway station ("Telford Central") within walking distance, also with regular buses from the railway station via services 33, 44 & 55 operated by Arriva. Hourly bus services to the bus station at the centre run from Wolverhampton, Shrewsbury and Stafford.

Car parking charges were introduced to the car parks surrounding the shopping centre in 2004.[17] The centre has 5 large car parks, providing approximately 4,000 parking spaces. It is estimated that almost 90% of shoppers to the centre arrive by car despite the introduction of parking charges. [1]

[edit] See also

The Beatties department store located at the west end of the centre, before rebranding to House of Fraser in August 2007.
The Beatties department store located at the west end of the centre, before rebranding to House of Fraser in August 2007.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Shopping Centre News. Telford - Coming of Age. Retrieved on 2008-03-11.
  2. ^ a b c d Property Week. Primark to triple in size at Telford. Retrieved on 2008-03-11.
  3. ^ a b c Shropshire Star (Telford edition), 11th of March, 2008. Abridged version available here
    BBC Shropshire. Stores want later opening hours. Retrieved on 2008-03-11.
  4. ^ Telford - A Unique New Town. Transforming Telford. Retrieved on 2008-03-22.
  5. ^ House of Fraser. Telford store details. Retrieved on 2008-03-11.
  6. ^ The main centre is on one level, Debenhams has 3 floors; House of Fraser, JJB, H&M and most of the stores in New Row have 2.
  7. ^ The Local Area. Retrieved on 2008-03-11.
  8. ^ Telford Shopping Centre. The Round. Retrieved on 2008-03-11.
  9. ^ Strutt & Parker. Commercial Propery Search. Retrieved on 2008-03-16.
  10. ^ a b c d Property Week. Telford enters the 1 m sq ft club. Retrieved on 2008-05-24.
  11. ^ Telford Shopping Centre. Interactive Map of New Row area. Retrieved on 2008-03-11.
  12. ^ 2006 Loo of the Year awards. Loo.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-05-30.
  13. ^ Shropshire Star, 07 December 2007
  14. ^ Telford Shopping Centre. Accessibility and Parking - The Round. Retrieved on 2008-04-15.
  15. ^ Telford - Shrewsbury. Google Maps. Retrieved on 2008-05-24.
  16. ^ Shrewsbury & Atcham council. Retail Capacity Survey. Retrieved on 2008-03-16.
  17. ^ Telford Shopping Centre. Car Parking. Retrieved on 2008-03-11.


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The largest shopping centres in the United Kingdom