Retail in Greater Manchester

[markydeedrop]

They have taken the old Peacock's unit

[Seasonedbest]

What a terrible terrible sign of things to come. This is something you’d see in Blackpool during the good times.

A prime corner of town in my eyes in which Central Radio in its heyday had electronics that were first before many of the other bigger retailers.

Big Shame. 'Welcome to Shude Hill Bus Station, Manchester, where you’ll find such nearby stores as a crappy memorabilia shop.'

[jrb]

May have already been posted by Flange, but I can't be arsed looking back. Sorry.

Property Week.

Manchester food retail is no beach
30 November 2012 | By Paul Unger

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Manchester has everything except a beach, Ian Brown of the Stone Roses once said. But there are sizeable retail gaps in the city centre as well.

Two sites were earmarked by the council for supermarkets, to meet the demand of residents of thousands of city centre flats built in the past decade.

Sainsbury’s was linked with a 140,000 sq ft store to be built at Central Retail Park, fronting Great Ancoats Street on the northern edge of the city centre, owned by the Henderson UK Retail Warehouse fund. But the grocer, like its main rivals, put a freeze on development at the start of the year, after Tesco profit warnings and the rise of online shopping.

The latest plan for Central Retail Park is likely to be a reconfiguration of existing units — the park is well occupied and trades strongly without food. But the council maintains its stance on food at the site. A smaller food store could be part of a compromise plan, due to be published in January.

The second site reserved for a supermarket was First Street (below), the 20 acre scheme proposed by Ask Developments to the southern edge of the city centre next to Mancunian Way.



Ask director John Hughes confirms a 70,000 sq ft supermarket is part of a multi-use building at the southern tip of the site. He will not comment on rumours that Tesco will take the unit: “There is no named operator, but we have been talking to everyone you would expect.”

A planning application was submitted in the summer and a decision is expected in the new year. Ask hopes to sign an anchor next year and start on site in 2014 for a 2016 completion.
Until then, residents have more than the lack of a beach to concern them.

[Tony_H1]

We can only hope that during the "renovation" of Central Retail Park it will mysteriously burn down.

[nq]

Consultation advert for the Central Retail Park redev,

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4WA...U28/edit?pli=1

(via: http://barbersboutique.com/news/Q2VudHJhbC1SZXRh)

It's being held this week @ CRP, 13th December 13:00-18:00.

The plans include:

• a 50,000sqft net sales supermarket
• six new retail units and the refurbishment of four existing units
• a cinema
• a new pedestrian link connecting Great Ancoats Street with Cotton Field Park and the canal basin
• new and upgraded pedestrian areas and landscaping
• Improved access and car parking
..
Henderson Global Investors is finalising the plans which will be submitted to Manchester City Council before the end of the year.
..
It is expected that work would begin in Summer 2013 and be completed by Spring 2015.

[WatcherZero]

Cinema looks tiny, about two-three screens at a push.

[mclassplanet]

That doesn't look to be a great deal of parking space for a retail park AND supermarket AND cinema unless additional space is made available on a nearby site, even if the new additions aren't that massive in size. (The car park is crowded enough as it stands.) Having a cinema also means that visitors will want to park there for more than 2 hours, further restricting the amount of parking space available for supermarket shoppers.

I foresee traffic chaos if this goes ahead as planned.

[iheartthenew]

The store is on stilts like most of the new big Tescos, with the car park under the store/cinema. If you look closely at the picture on the LH side you can see cars entering the undercroft and on the plan there are escalators at the front of the supermarket. If you follow the links in nq's post there is a plan showing this in more detail. There will be many more spaces than present.

[MancKnight]

Another fucking supermarket (Y)

[madferret]

People have to shop. More and more apartments are being built in this area but with few local facilities. Would you rather people drove out of town?

[hulmeman2]

Originally Posted by MancKnight

Another fucking supermarket (Y)

No doubt Tesco are paying for the access route through to Cotton Field Park, so not a big price to pay.

[jrb]

Apologies if this has already been posted. I honestly can't be bothered to trawl all the way back through this fast moving thread to find out.

Exec Meeting link under the quote.

HEART OF MCR

Heart of Manchester – business improvement district (BID)

A great city, aspring to be greater still

CityCo is working alongside the city centre retailers to launch Manchester’s first ever Business Improvement District (BID), dedicated to retail.

The BID is an opportunity to build on our successes, energy and optimism and make Manchester as successful as we know it can be.

The city’s retailers have collectively helped to make Manchester a vibrant place and now we need to continue to work, together, towards a common goal: to make the Heart of Manchester the most successful retail destination in Britain.

What is a Business Improvement District?

A BID is a specfic area where businesses work together and invest in agreed services, projects and special events. The remit of the BID is determined and controlled by the businesses involved. The BID is financed by a levy made on the basis of rateable value.

Agreement to set up a BID is made on the basis of a ballot of all eligible businesses.

What a BID means for Manchester

Manchester is a city that works on a different level. When we embark on a project, we want to make it a difference, and to be different.

Our proposal for a BID is about directly programming events and activity that will attract increased footfall to the city centre. It’s about having a direct impact on retailer’s returns. It’s about continuing to keep city centre Manchester a step ahead.

The story so far

The business plan for the BID has been led by the city centre’s retailers. They have collectively decided on the priorities and projects that will enhance the city’s retail offer, and believe that this is the best model for developing the city centre.

As part of the feasibility stage, over 300 retailers were contacted to identify areas of concerns and priorities for action. From October 2010 to June 2012, consultation was undertaken at brand, area and head office level. By June, over 70% of retailers had their say.

Following feedback on the main proposals, governance and finance, it was agreed to pursue the BID.

In November 2012 a majority of businesses voted positively for the formation of a BID which will launch in April 2013.

The bid has four main areas of focus

1. Launching major new events in the city centre to attract footfall
2. Launching a city centre hosting scheme to improve the customer experience
3. Developing a stream of activity to boost midweek and evening trade
4. Delivering promotional campaigns and partnerships to attract more affluent shoppers.

The income

The potential income from the BID is around £1million per year, for a five year BID period.

That’s £5million we can invest in our city.

the bid in detail

In total the BID will consist of approximately 380 businesses, from King Street to Manchester Arndale, high-end to high street. Only businesses that have a rateable value of over £50,000 or higher are members of the BID. Alongside retailers, it will also encompass a number of related businesses that are open mainly during daytime hours.

The BID will last for 5 years. After this time, if retailers think it has been a success, the BID company will go for a renewal ballot.

The proposed projects include:

1. Delivering two major events per year
2. Delivering events and a campaign to encourage greater use of the city centre between 5-8pm
3. Supporting the city’s major seasonal campaigns to ensure full retail representation
4. Launching an on-going PR campaign focused on promoting city centre retail
5. Publishing a new online and offline guide to the city centre
6. Developing a coherent and mobile web presence for city centre retail
7. Launching a team of visitor service hosts on the streets
8. Providing operational and security support to businesses in the BID area.

the business plan

The Heart of Manchester BID Business Plan can be downloaded here

governance and management

The BID will be an independent, limited company, governed by a board responsible to levy payers.

The BID will be delivered by CityCo, Manchester’s city centre management company – allowing administration costs to be a among the very lowest, percentage-wise, in the country.

The BID company will be inaugurated in April 2013.

For more information call our BID Project Manager, Anne Schofield at CityCo on 0161 838 3250.

http://www.cityco.com/initiative/hea...anchester-bid/

Result of the “Heart of Manchester” Business Improvement District Ballot http://www.manchester.gov.uk/egov_do...rictBallot.pdf

[jrb]

Regardless, it looks a million times better than this piece of s***!



Agree about the lack of car park spaces.

[monkey_rat]

Doesn't look much different JRB. Wasted opportunity.

I'll bet now that the cinema doesn't happen.

[iheartthenew]

Originally Posted by jrb

Regardless, it looks a million times better than this piece of s***!

Agree about the lack of car park spaces.

Jrb there will be many more spaces in the new development as the new store and cinema is replacing half the units and it will be on stilts, allowing the car park to extend under the store.

I also find it hard to believe the cinema will ever open...

[boyaloud]

I think the cinema will happen as it could be a Picture House or other "boutique" or more "indie" cinema operator. I think Manchester could easily cope with another to compete with Cornerhouse/HOME, unless HOME is going to be operated by say Picture House?

[neil]

Arndale expects to pass 40 million visitors
12th December 2012

Share:By Chris Barry - Editor, North West

MANCHESTER'S Arndale shopping centre is expecting to beat its footfall target of 40 million visitors for this calendar year.

The Arndale, which claims to be the country's biggest inner city shopping centre and is home to more than 240 stores, says this month has got off to a flying start, with more than 246,000 visitors on Saturday December 1, up 7% on the comparable Saturday in 2011, and making an all-time record.

To hit the 40 million number, weekly footfall figures need to be around the 980,000 until the end of 2012. With current footfall rates of one million a week, bosses are confident of hitting the milestone.

Centre director David Allinson said: "During 2012 Manchester Arndale has already enjoyed year-on-year growth in visitors and December has got off to a flying start.

"The record Saturday footfall is the highest figure ever witnessed in the centre’s history which is a real achievement for us. We are now anticipating a strong run up to Christmas and the centre’s extended opening hours means we can cope with this additional demand. Even if the weather takes a turn for the worse, as we offer everything for shoppers all under one roof, it is unlikely we’ll be really affected."

Retailers say the top-selling festive gifts include perfume, costume jewellwey and e-readers such as the Kindle and Kobo.

[monkey_rat]

Originally Posted by boyaloud

I think the cinema will happen as it could be a Picture House or other "boutique" or more "indie" cinema operator. I think Manchester could easily cope with another to compete with Cornerhouse/HOME, unless HOME is going to be operated by say Picture House?

It's bizarre though that there haven't been any rumblings about this though. I wouldn't be surprised if it's talked about then lays empty for a few years, and then eventually turned into a Greggs/Ladbrokes.

[iheartthenew]

New Asda petrol station/convenience store on Marsland Rd in Sale, a new format they are trying out. It's a bit small and lacks the range (hardly any fresh food beyond snacks and ready meals) compared to Sainsbury/Tesco/Morrisons little stores.





I also believe Asda are proposing a new store in Altrincham, off George Richards way behind Aldi/near the retail park

[flange]

Thanks iheartthenew, have been meaning to post about that, it is also one of Asda's Click & Collect points too.

Interesting about a possible Asda near Altrincham Retail Park, if that did happen that area would just become even busier to go to, surely if Asda did open that would see an end to the Asda Living store already open at the retail park. There was also the rumour that Asda would open within the Altair scheme in Altrincham Town Centre too a while back aswell.