Shrewsbury developments thread!

[Samluke]

Originally Posted by Jonesy55

Some interesting figures! Liking the direct comparison between multiples and independents but I wonder how those figures do against other similar centres, say like Chester or Hereford. It would have been interesting to see just how prolific charity shops were, too. (Did you include those as chain stores or 'other commercial'?)

Interesting that you also record retail vacanacy as 12.8% across the board and including Frankwell and the Abbey etc. I've compiled a map (nicked from the Tesco planning documents) which puts retail-only vacancy within the river loop at 12.9% by unit number. The LDC figures always seemed suspect. Here's my map. It's amazing though that we can compile these things but that the main databases can be so out of date that properties going on the market now can still be incorrect.. eg. Shoon with Animal, Jane Norman, Ann Harvey and Past Times supposedly still occupied; and Bon Marche showing Butcher Row half-vacant.

[Jonesy55]

I was in two minds what to do with charity shops, maybe I should have made a separate category for them. In the end I put the into the 'chain retail' category. I'd estimate that there are maybe 10-15 charity shops in there in total.

'Other commercial' was mostly hairdressers, beauty salons etc plus some bookies and a few assorted extras.

I think the Jane Norman shop is now reoccupied by an independent clothing retailer, Past Times is definitely shut though now. You can see how the retail is ever-changing as you walk around, I saw a few 'closing down sales' and very recently closed shops but also several unoccupied units being fitted for new traders.

Nice map btw!

[Jonesy55]

New riverside shopping centre given planning approval!

http://www.newriverside-shrewsbury.co.uk/

[Jonesy55]

Noticed the other day that the new housing development on the old Severn Apprentice pub site is coming along rapidly, looks pretty good I think....

http://www.allistergodfrey.com/case-...e-development/



Also the development work on the Gay Meadow site has started in earnest...

http://www.dwh.co.uk/Find-A-Home/New...Meadow/?mode=2



And finally ground has been broken on the new Premier Inn hotel project on the old Telephone House site...

[Samluke]

Have to agree about the old Severn Apprentice pub site, liking that architectural style. It goes beyond mock and re-interprets.

Alterations to Princess House were approved today - only after several revisions. Can't say they're great but with any luck an application for alterations to the upper floors will go in shortly and the whole lot will get done at the same time.

[Jonesy55]

Anchor tenant for New Riverside centre revealed, no great surprise, but things seem to be progressing nicely....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-17771893

Debenhams to be Shrewsbury shopping centre 'anchor tenant'



A major department store has agreed to be the "anchor tenant" at a Shropshire shopping centre, according to developers.

Debenhams will move into Shrewsbury's Riverside centre as part of a £150m redevelopment that will create other shops, restaurants, bars and offices.

Owners UK Commercial Property Trust (UKCPT) who own all three of Shrewsbury's main shopping centres said a pre-let agreement had been signed with the store.

Shropshire County Council granted planning permission last month.

The redevelopment also features a 300-space underground car park and would connect the centre to the Darwin and Pride Hill centres.

The chairman of UKCPT, Christopher Hill, said: "The Council's decision to approve our plans and the signing of a pre-let with a leading national department store operator in Debenhams represent a major step forward for the planned New Riverside redevelopment.

"With these critical milestones achieved, UKCPT will continue to progress its plans for the scheme, while assessing all options for the creation of maximum value on behalf of its shareholders."

[Samluke]

Originally Posted by Jonesy55

Anchor tenant for New Riverside centre revealed, no great surprise, but things seem to be progressing nicely....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-17771893

Good to know it isn't dead in the water before it's got going!

Noticed today that the (temporary) furniture store in the former Bonmarche on Pride Hill is closing Sunday. That must mean that the 'Under Offer' status it's had the last few weeks is progressing to close the deal. Any guesses!?

[DBadger]

I'm quite surprised it wasn't a John Lewis, but a Debenhams makes sense too. Good to know this is still going ahead. Whenever we go to Shrewsbury we go in Darwin and around the town, but never touch Pride Hill or Riverside, because my family thinks there's "nothing there". And well, they're probably right, for now. But in the future...

[Gherkin]

Thanks for keeping us up to date Jonesy! That Allister Godfrey building looks pretty decent, and good news regarding the new shopping centre - I haven't read this thread for a while

There are some attractive new visuals on the website: http://www.newriverside-shrewsbury.c...-community.htm

[Samluke]

'Two months on' update:-

Retail vacancy is now at about 11.4% vs a national average of 14.6%. I added the bottom of Wyle Cop and all of Castle Gates to my map since the last update so some of the decrease from 12.8% will be because of that. But we're down a good 0.5-1.0% in the last few months. Definitely a positive change, anyway.

NEW OPENINGS

Zizzi, Bistro Jacques and Eat Up (above Bellini) now all open.



Retro takes over from Ripe on Grope Lane. The former Thrives on Neglect shop at Princess House, The Square, looks like it has a new temporary tenant. Hunter Dunn are a Shrewsbury-based online retailer, presumably trying out trade on the 'high street'.

CLOSURES

Clinton Cards stores in the Pride Hill and Darwin centres have both closed as I'm sure you'll know, pushing the three centres' vacancy rate to 36.3% or 37 of 102 units!

Thomas Cook, Castle Street, has closed and the unit is listed as available for lease. Makes sense, given their larger Pride Hill branch.

UPCOMING OPENINGS

Templeton Jones, currently trading from The Parade, is opening in the former PaNash unit behind Rackhams on Princess Street (great quality posters for an indie in the windows atm).

Hotter Shoes will be opening in the former Jane Norman unit (and where O.M.G. are temporarily trading). They'll be putting in an entrance onto Pride Hill.



T. H. Baker Jewellers are to move three doors up Pride Hill into the former Bonmarche unit. Bit dull but they'll definitely be smartening the shop front up. The massive Bonmarche fascia board will be halved and they'll be making a few architectural revisions to better complement the historic fabric of the building.



New supermarket development behind the BP Garage, Meole Brace

A new 21,500 sq ft (gross), 13,000 sq ft (est. net) supermarket planning application has been submitted. At first, it looked a lot like a new Lidl or Aldi but after visiting the developer's website, I'm convinced it's a small-format ASDA. Some of the wording in the Design & Access statement gives it away a bit too, suggesting that the current ASDA does not cater well to residents from the south west of Shrewsbury. (Not sure I agree entirely with that). The architecture is also similar to two other developments by the developer in Aylesbury and Bangor. The ASDA CGI is of Aylesbury.

[Jonesy55]

I notice an article in this weeks Shrewsbury Chronicle on town centre occupancy rates quoting independent research by local resident and budding retail property consultant Sam Stockley......

[Samluke]

Originally Posted by Jonesy55

I notice an article in this weeks Shrewsbury Chronicle on town centre occupancy rates quoting independent research by local resident and budding retail property consultant Sam Stockley......

Ha, yeah. I was emailed and then phoned by a reporter at the Shropshire Star about two weeks ago asking where I got my figures from after commenting on an article online. Is good to have it published that the town's vacancy rate is lower than the national average but they didn't fully adhere to my request which was to lead with a positive story. They've made a big deal out of the centres' high vacancy without any accounting for it. I also asked for a subtle credit >_>

With any luck though, future articles will refer to the town centre as doing better than the national average and they'll come back to me for updates. Very fed up of councillors/shop owners/loud residents talking the town down.

[Gherkin]

£100,000 facelift for Longmynd Hotel in Church Stretton. I had a summer job here a couple of years ago... nice place but the decor was pretty tacky!



http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2...urch-stretton/

[Jonesy55]

Very good, though this is the Shrewsbury Developments Thread, not the Church Stretton Developments thread

[Gherkin]

I'd start that thread, but it'd probably clog the skyscrapercity servers

I was a waitor/hotel porter there and speaking to the guests - most of them toured everywhere around Shropshire: Shrewsbury, Ironbridge, Severn Valley Railway etc before ending the tour at the Long Mynd... most attractive place in the country county

[Jonesy55]

A nice photo montage of the Music hall/Vaughan's Mansion restoration project in the town has been published on the BBC website.

The project is uncovering a 13th century merchant's mansion house in which had been completely covered by redevelopments in the subsequent centuries. The building was the Music Hall until 2009 when Theatre Severn was completed, after restoration it will host the town museum, tourism office and a restaurant.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-19667481

[Samluke]

I imagine everyone may have seen that TK Maxx are to move into the former Focus DIY unit at Meole Brace. Planning application is yet to go in but the store opening date is likely to be 'early next year'. http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2...in-shrewsbury/

[Gherkin]

Hitler's Shropshire base

"Historians think he considered Shropshire as the ideal base because it was located in the centre of the country with excellent rail and communication links."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-20592917

[Gherkin]

Originally Posted by Samluke

I imagine everyone may have seen that TK Maxx are to move into the former Focus DIY unit at Meole Brace. Planning application is yet to go in but the store opening date is likely to be 'early next year'.

I was in Meole Brace the other day, 'early next year' still looks likely. Tacky Max should do well in that location, the building is huge.


Here's an unrelated picture of the Quantum Leap:

[Jonesy55]

Having neglected this thread recently I'll try to photograph a few updates of new stuff soon. I also might redo my retail survey from 12 months ago to see if there have been many changes...

Nice pic of the slinky btw Gherkin