The news is quite old, but seen as I have saw nothing of it posted, I thought I would bring it up.
But its about time something happens!!! and Maybe, just maybe, the Holiday Inn might be accidently demolished during the process
2009 hno:St Johns market will be rebuilt
Aug 15 2006
ST JOHNS shopping centre in Liverpool is to be completely rebuilt as part of a plan by its owner to compete with Grosvenor's Liverpool One scheme.
Landlord Land Securities will be investing tens of millions of pounds in the complete overhaul of the centre from 2009 onwards. The company will also spend £5m on its nearby Clayton Square shops.
The news about the major revamp for St Johns has been revealed in a podcast interview that can be heard in full at the Daily Post's business website, thebusinessweek.co.uk.
In the interview, Clayton Square centre manager Ed Oliver, who is also vice chairman of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, said the investment by Land Securities was in response to growing competition from the development of Liverpool One, the arrival in town of Primark and the refurbishment of Marks & Spencer on Church Street.
Mr Oliver added: "There is a long-term plan for St Johns, a five-year project starting in 2009. It's such a large project that we could not start it now and finish it in time for Capital of Culture, so the view is to start it after Capital of Culture in 2009.
"It's virtually the complete rebuilding of St Johns".
"It's a massive investment by Land Securities."
Mr Oliver said the city's existing retailers and shopping centres could not afford to be complacent. He added: "We are going to have 1m sq ft of retail and leisure space open just 300 yards away. We cannot sit back."
Speaking about Clayton Square, Mr Oliver said: "Plans are being drawn up to bring it into the 21st century. It was opened in 1989 and the centre still has a dated look about it.
"There will be new entrances, floor decorations and lights. There will be some extension of space."
The cost could be in the region of £5m.
In the podcast interview, Mr Oliver said that late-night shopping in Liverpool city centre had got off to a slow start.
Late-night shopping was re-introduced to the city two weeks ago. Mr Oliver said August was bound to be a slow month, but he was confident the number of late-night shoppers would rise steadily and that city centre shops will eventually stay open until 8pm five days a week.
Mr Oliver also used the interview to claim success for Liverpool's Business Improvement District initiative.
He said it was one of the best BID areas in Britain.
Liverpool Vision chief executive Jim Gill said the plan to redevelop St Johns was great news for the city centre.
There had been fears that the new shops at Liverpool One would have shifted the city's retail centre of gravity away from Clayton Square and St Johns towards the river.
Mr Gill added: "It's very positive news.
"It shows there is still a future for that part of the retail market that their tenants serve.
"Land Securities will improve the centre's facade as it looks towards Lime Street station.
"What we will have is a retail core that is double the size now."
Mr Gill said pedestrian access to St Johns from Lime Street would be improved.
He said the remaining unresolved big issue for retail in Liverpool now was the future of the John Lewis building on Church Street.
It will become necessary to find new tenants after the store group moves to a huge new department store in Liverpool One in two year's time.
Mr Gill said: "The redevelopment of Marks & Spencer with the developments at Clayton Square and St Johns means the prospects for theJohn Lewis shops are much better."
But its about time something happens!!! and Maybe, just maybe, the Holiday Inn might be accidently demolished during the process