Bradford | Westfield Bradford Shopping Centre, offices and apartments | Appr

[riclam]

Originally Posted by Val Verde

Could Debenhams surprise everyone by announcing an opening elsewhere in Bradford either at the old Brown Muffs / Rackhams building (which would certainly be nice to see assuming they takeover the whole of the building with the likes of KFC, BetFred and Caffe Nero moving into premises elsewhere) or more probably (due to ease of car parking and availability of large floorspaces) at the Forster Square retail park instead of Westfield. Still I cannot see Debenhams interested in opening in Bradford without being part of a large new development considering the poor state of Bradford City Centre.



Ditto. With there being apparently 77 stores at Westfield Bradford surely a fair few should be taken up by mobile phone shops, coffee shops, clothes shops, fast food restaurants, a jewellers or two, a supermarket, and typically in this day and age a pound shop or two (Westfield Derby has Poundland and Poundworld). Surely such stores must take up around half of the number of units at Westfield Bradford although could retail in Bradford be in such a bad state that even such common or garden retailers like the sort I mentioned will not want to open in Bradford thinking it is too much of a risk compared with other nearby shopping centres.

Cant see them moving into.brown muffs unless the buildings owners sell it.......always sunwin house with its car park

[Bradfordian]

I agree someone needs to takeover Sunwin house it is a great commercial property and can't just sit empty. Personally I think primark should take it on and move from kirkgate. Then some yet decent sized store can move into the refurb primark premises. They're relocating inside kirkgate anyway

[Sadbrad]

Originally Posted by idlemoor

No, only one (M&S).

Debenhams announced on 20 October 2011 that they would be opening a shop in Bradford, but they never said that it would be in Westfield, and they certainly haven't yet been formally announced as an anchor tenant or any other kind of tenant in Westfield.

This is a perfect example of Telegraph and Argus bullshitting. Step forward to be mocked, Jo Winrow.

Debenhams to take store in Bradford's Broadway scheme/ says the headline, but the article says (emphasis added): "The company was unable to confirm at this stage that it would be the second anchor tenant in Westfield’s £275 million shopping centre development on the Broadway site but it did say that it intended to open up in Bradford in 2013/14. In addition Westfield would not comment on the announcement from Debenhams. But the department store was one of the tenants signed up to Westfield’s earlier plans for a larger shopping centre in Bradford before the development was put on hold due to the economic conditions." And then Winrow is off into la-la land: "If Debenhams were to take the second key slot, then it would be on the Hall Ings side of the development."

So it was all just speculation on the T&A's part, and has remained just speculation for lo! these past eight months.

And what do we read just four weeks ago on the BBC website, 29 May 2012? "The company said it was in negotiations to secure major retailers, including Debenhams."

We note that there is now no way that Debenham's could open in Westfield in 2013/14. With two years' construction due, the time for that has been and gone. And that is probably the clue-hammer that Debenhams have been hitting Westfield with.

April 2012, Interesting to read that the Council are under the assumption that Debenhams is a cert...

"Labour, which controls the city council, said the Westfield development was a top priority and planning permission for the scaled-down version of the scheme was approved in October. A spokesman said Debenhams have announced that they will take one of the major stores." I wonder if this was based based on what the T&A reported or that the Council have it on authority from Debenhams themselves?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-17815453

They have yet to sign up, though its starting to sound like Debenhams could well be the big name tenant that is about to be anounced.

[riclam]

Originally Posted by Bradfordian

I agree someone needs to takeover Sunwin house it is a great commercial property and can't just sit empty. Personally I think primark should take it on and move from kirkgate. Then some yet decent sized store can move into the refurb primark premises. They're relocating inside kirkgate anyway

I dont think they are relocating in kirkgate.

Sunwin house, another iconic and listed empty bradford building

[Sadbrad]

Originally Posted by riclam

I dont think they are relocating in kirkgate.

Sunwin house, another iconic and listed empty bradford building

.
It being listed is the problem.

I reckon it might end up burned to the ground, which seems to be the norm in Bradford with long standing empty buildings

[Bradfordian]

I though it was being either moved or extended so the front entrance (to primark) would be where the old Dolland & Aitchinson store was

[GlennTheBaker]

Westfield Derby insisted Primark could not feature in their centre and were forced out of the city for a couple of years before returning (outside Westfield) as they were deemed to be too "low brow". Now there are 2 Poundworlds, 1 Poundland and a 99p Store in there as well as a few other rag-tag stores to make up the numbers.

[Bradfordian]

Well judging by Westfield's performance in Bradford they'll be lucky if Greggs want to sign up to the development. They won't be in a position to fussy. I just hope they don't fill it full of crap. I say scrap the shopping centre and build a greyhound racing stadium. Not seriously. Just thinking of other things that could attract people to the city. Not that a greyhound stadium would do that to great lengths.

[Sadbrad]

Why not have the largest Bazaar in the UK on the site, it certainly fits in with the way Bradford is heading...

[riclam]

Originally Posted by Sadbrad

.
It being listed is the problem.

I reckon it might end up burned to the ground, which seems to be the norm in Bradford with long standing empty buildings

It would lend itself greatly to a mixed office/retail destination however there is enugh empty offices in town!

[riclam]

Originally Posted by Sadbrad

Why not have the largest Bazaar in the UK on the site, it certainly fits in with the way Bradford is heading...

An open market would be a good idea for some of the site, it is what Bradford has been missing for 40 years

[Val Verde]

Originally Posted by Bradfordian

I agree someone needs to takeover Sunwin house it is a great commercial property and can't just sit empty. Personally I think primark should take it on and move from kirkgate. Then some yet decent sized store can move into the refurb primark premises. They're relocating inside kirkgate anyway

I can't see Sunwin House / TJ Hughes ever becoming a department store again personally considering it's location on a limb away from the rest of the main retailers in Bradford City Centre and on the wrong side of a busy dual carriageway (where the main retail axis for Bradford City Centre assuming Westfield is ever built must surely be between the Kirkgate and Westfield Centres) as the old Brown Muff / Rackhams building must surely be in a much better location for a department store imo although something major needs improving the fortunes of Bradford City Centre before such a retailer could be interested in opening (with something happening on the Westfield site being an absolute neccessity). As for the Sunwin House building has a decision been made on whether the Bradford Library building is safe and if that building is proven to be condemned couldn't a move for the Bradford Library to the Sunwin House building be a possibility. Alternatively I can see a conversion of Sunwin House into flats / offices being a possible with some convenience retail on the ground floor although the closure of the Thomas Cook offices opposite must make the latter a much less likely prospect.

Originally Posted by Bradfordian

I though it was being either moved or extended so the front entrance (to primark) would be where the old Dolland & Aitchinson store was

It would seem logical and at least an expanded Primark should show some confidence in Bradford as well as attract more footfall as well as give a prominent shop front for what should be an anchor store in Bradford City Centre. Is there any word on the proposed refit of the Kirkgate Centre as well as news on any stores who could be interested in opening there?

[riclam]

Originally Posted by Val Verde

As for the Sunwin House building has a decision been made on whether the Bradford Library building is safe and if that building is proven to be condemned couldn't a move for the Bradford Library to the Sunwin House building be a possibility. Alternatively I can see a conversion of Sunwin House into flats / offices being a possible with some convenience retail on the ground floor although the closure of the Thomas Cook offices opposite must make the latter a much less likely prospect.

That was what I said, a mixed use development, I dont think flats would be a suitabe use though, could be prime office space though like Lewis's in Leeds

[Bradfordian]

No not heard anything on the Kirkgate refit last I read on planning4bradford, permission had been granted I think

[larven]

Was speaking to an architect who was laid off two months ago from the architectural team working on this. Work has stopped completely and who knows if it will restart again.

He said Westfield are a ruthless outfit and have huge developments in the pipeline overseas in places like Brazil and even underneath the new world trade centre in NY. Unfortunately I can't imagine this project is very high up their list of priorities in that context.

[MarkJF]

Originally Posted by Leeds No.1

Yeah, so get more people out of cars.

Bingo! Bradford is easy to navigate if you are of an enterprising mind. I use a scooter or a bicycle, wacko or what?

[Bradfordian]

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.u..._to_fruition_/

Westfield coming closer to fruition

[MarkJF]

Originally Posted by Bradfordian

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.u..._to_fruition_/

Westfield coming closer to fruition

Where, within that article, is there anything (no matter how tenuous) to suggest that the scheme is coming closer to fruition?

[larven]

Nothing more than empty words unfortunately. After all what else could he say, "it's going nowhere"?

I went to a similar talk where someone from Sheffield city council said the Sevenstone scheme was progressing. That was three years ago.

[Bradfordian]

Originally Posted by MarkJF

Where, within that article, is there anything (no matter how tenuous) to suggest that the scheme is coming closer to fruition?

Well there isn't, apart from the headline which I just re-typed to the thread. Only did it as it mentioned Westfield that's all.