White Rose Centre

[STOPGO]

The YEP artlce was really about how well Trinty is going and the White Rose bit was thrown in to pad it out.

[Leeds No.1]

I think the WR expansion is old news- it's extensions to existing stores, not new wings or anything as such. It's nothing notable really.

[jordanzhgreat1]

build a train station!

the designers of this building must have been stupid, the train line is next to it

[Immunda Leodis]

Originally Posted by jordanzhgreat1

build a train station!

the designers of this building must have been stupid, the train line is next to it

The 'designers' weren't Network Rail (or Railtrack as it probably was when it was opened) so I would suggest that building a train station and the associated configuration managment was probably out of scope for them. But, from previous insightful posts, I'm willing to concede that you're probably more of authority on programme management so I admit that I might be wrong on this...

[Leeds No.1]

This article is largely about Trinity but...

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/busin...heme_1_3594418

Mr Jennings said that White Rose has just signed a new deal with fashion chain New Look, which will see the retailer quadruple in size.

“New Look is moving from its 4,000 sq ft store to a new 16,500 sq ft site, so it will more than quadruple. It’s a big chunk of space, particularly in the current climate,” he said.

“Good retailers are still trading well and want more space. New Look is trading very well at White Rose and the new store should be trading by Easter next year.”

Mr Jennings said that since White Rose opened in 1997, it has outperformed rivals over the 14 years.

The total return at White Rose has been 11.3 per cent on an average basis. That is some four per cent better than the industry benchmark of 7.3 per cent over the 14-year period.

[LeedsLad]

Originally Posted by Graham london

http://www.landsecurities.com/docume...rint_FINAL.pdf

ok im bored

This doc shows they are thinking of expanding?...

Also details of all available units: http://www.brassrow.co.uk/shopping-centre.php?id=6

[Leeds No.1]

Expansion would be welcome as long as it doesn't affect Leeds City Centre. My inclination is that it won't do, but it does have potential to negatively impact Morley and of course Dewsbury lost its M&S to the White Rose.

[El Cid]

Originally Posted by Leeds No.1

have potential to negatively impact Morley and of course Dewsbury lost its M&S to the White Rose.

It doesnt compete with Morley these days, because Morley does not have brand name shops; I would say that it does compete more with Leeds n Wakefield City centres.

[this_city]

Originally Posted by Leeds No.1

Expansion would be welcome as long as it doesn't affect Leeds City Centre. My inclination is that it won't do, but it does have potential to negatively impact Morley and of course Dewsbury lost its M&S to the White Rose.

I lived in Churwell for a year or so and spent a fair bit of time in Morley talking to the locals. many of them said that the negative impact had already taken place and their high street was dead as a result

[10123]

I can't really see how it negatively impacts Morley tbh. I can't imagine seeing Zara and Topshop down your local town street.

I would of thought the younger locals would be quite fond of having Mcdonals, KFC etc on their doorstep.

[Val Verde]

Originally Posted by 10123

I can't really see how it negatively impacts Morley tbh. I can't imagine seeing Zara and Topshop down your local town street.

I would of thought the younger locals would be quite fond of having Mcdonals, KFC etc on their doorstep.

Didn't Morley Town Centre once have the likes of a Woolworths and a Co-op Department Store many moons ago? As for the poor state of Morley's shopping surely I believe personally that the pedestrianisation of that street (I believe done largely at the same time as the opening of the White Rose Centre in a bid to reduce the decline of Morley as the result of the new centre's opening) should be largely dropped imo considering it removes a lot of life from that street which should really aim to be more like other Leeds suburban centres imo (although there are of course those in Morley who somehow wish Morley to be an independent town in it's own right).

As for the White Rose personally against the idea of expansion which could make it grow into more of a rival of the city centre and I wonder what made the council allow the WRC to be constructed considering it's potential as competition for Leeds (could Trinity have opened earlier had White Rose never been developed?) and more significantly for smaller towns and cities around West Yorkshire such as Bradford, Wakefield and most especially Morley and Dewsbury although of course Birstall Retail Park was already down the road to becoming an out of town shopping centre of sorts for West Yorkshire by the time White Rose opened (wonder why WRC wasn't built next door to Birstall personally).

As for Dewsbury could that towns problem be with Kirklees favouring Huddersfield as it's main town centre (which is rather reasonable for a town of its stature and I guess could have plenty of room for expansion of stuff such as retail, offices, residential developments etc considering strategic location mid-way between Manchester and Leeds) in addition to obviously being in closer proximity to the likes of Birstall Retail Park (which also lies just within Kirklees), White Rose and Leeds City Centre. Also I guess there are of course a number of social issues (racism, crime etc) which Dewsbury has a reputation for.

On another Morley related note the proposed McDonalds by the White Bear pub at the M62 J28 Tingley Interchange has been blocked at planning. http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.u...sive_1_3909831

Pity, although I guess traffic and noise were certainly issues.

[this_city]

Originally Posted by 10123

I can't really see how it negatively impacts Morley tbh. I can't imagine seeing Zara and Topshop down your local town street.

I would of thought the younger locals would be quite fond of having Mcdonals, KFC etc on their doorstep.

Morley high street to the White Rose isn't exactly on their doorsteps and as Val mentions above, the town did have some half decent retailers at one time

[Aaronj09]

I hate the White Rose Centre, if I lived in Morley I'd just avoid it and go into the City..

[El Cid]

Originally Posted by this_city

many of them said that the negative impact had already taken place and their high street was dead as a result

The Council recently brought in parking restrictions, 3 hr maximum, to the main Queensway car park, because it was toooo busy.
Not quite so now, with the recession and all that.

[STOPGO]

Originally Posted by Aaronj09

I hate the White Rose Centre, if I lived in Morley I'd just avoid it and go into the City..

A fair percentage of the W.R.C. footfall come from outside the Leeds City postcode areas.

[Leeds No.1]

I sometimes like to go to the White Rose when I don't want to trek round town. It's attractive for winter and Christmas shopping as I can get most things I need under one roof where it's warm and dry. It's also open late every day.

I like going into town when it's dry, but as soon as snow comes I don't want to be out in it.

[lazygamer]

Originally Posted by STOPGO

A fair percentage of the W.R.C. footfall come from outside the Leeds City postcode areas.

I know a number of people from Dewsbury, Pontefract and Casteford who go to the White Rose but rarely go into Leeds simply because of the parking.

[Aaronj09]

I usually avoid the WRC because it's always crowded and you're always dodging people, it's a crappy shopping environment IMO and I much prefer shopping in Leeds.

Most people from towns like that would use the bus though I'd have though, I know people from Bradford who catch the train to Leeds.

[lazygamer]

Originally Posted by Aaronj09

Most people from towns like that would use the bus though I'd have though, I know people from Bradford who catch the train to Leeds.

Catching a bus from Cas, Ponte or Dewsbury to the WRC is via an Arriva bus. If there's a group of 4 adults that's £16.80 (4x£4.20 Day Savers). If there's a car owner in the group and the parking is free, it's a no brainer.

Compare that to *wretch* First whose Family ticket at £7 is for up to 5 adults (Arriva's equivalent is £8.50 for 2 adults, 3 children, it's only a pound for a Metro DayRover which includes all buses/trains) and *veers off towards transports threads again*

[Aaronj09]

Darn, I forgot parking is free at the WRC.