Retail experts says Kirkgate Centre in Bradford needs facelift (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting TANEWS to 80360, or email
Retail experts says Kirkgate Centre in Bradford needs facelift
9:27am Thursday 18th March 2010 in
A leading retail expert has described the exterior of Bradford’s Kirkgate shopping centre as “absolutely disgraceful”.
John Bywater, managing director of Caddick Developments, was addressing members of the Bradford Property Forum on how to improve Bradford’s retail appeal.
He said the Kirkgate centre “brought a bit of fizz” to the city centre and was very attractive once shoppers were inside.
“But the outside is absolutely disgraceful,” said Mr Bywater.
“If you had any money, you would change the face of how it looks to the public. It’s dreadful.
“Until that’s addressed, you have got a long, long way to go.”
Mr Bywater said shoppers by nature were disloyal, brand-conscious and would travel to get what they wanted.
He said: “At the moment, the competition for Bradford is strong. Bradford’s brand is simply not strong enough. Five hundred years ago, it was the cathedral that defined a city’s status and now it’s the shopping centre, cathedrals of consumerism.”
He said the White Rose shopping centre, Birstall retail park, Meadowhall and Forster Square retail park all provided extensive choice for shoppers with the added benefit of free parking.
Work on the Kirkgate centre, then known as the Arndale, was completed in 1976. It was given facelifts in 1988 and 2001.
Comments(9)
webdude
says...
11:15am Thu 18 Mar 10
perhaps if they had developed it when they owned it there wouldn't be the mess we have now......
ItchyBungle
says...
12:11pm Thu 18 Mar 10
Avro
says...
12:29pm Thu 18 Mar 10
You guys are certainly right about WHS, looking seriously tired and in desperate need of a total makover, a bit like Bradford centre as a whole, or is that hole?
lassimangnayala
says...
12:44pm Thu 18 Mar 10
allannicho
says...
4:30pm Thu 18 Mar 10
Must have had some pretty poor
councils since then.
bcfc1903
says...
8:14pm Thu 18 Mar 10
paulw8270
says...
8:06am Fri 19 Mar 10
born n bred
says...
4:48pm Fri 19 Mar 10
They harp on about the photo museum, but it's free. It was the only 3D screen for years I believe, but that's now changed. It benefits from the same boring school visits for kids every year. My friends daughter has had to go three years on the trot, she's sick of it.
The Ahlambra will soon be a less attractive place too
More Bradford stories
- Police still hunting 'brutal' murderers who killed Bradford dad
- Four more held in Keighley street murder probe
- Family pays tribute to girl killed in accident on Valentine's Day walk with boyfriend
- VIDEO: Bungling robber attempts raid on Eccleshill shop
- Man held after 44-year-old dies after fight
- Masked raider strikes at Bradford general store
- Bradford firefighters’ injury statistics revealed
- Principal’s ‘double success’ rate vow
- Cabbie’s ‘shock’ at hammer attack
- New visitor centre opens in key site
The exterior of Bradford’s Kirkgate shopping centre has been described as dreadful by a retail expert
Most popular
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
Joedavid says...
9:34am Thu 18 Mar 10
Did he not go in WH Smiths and see the state of the carpet for a start.
Also no staff to assist you, appear to be only about 2 people working there.
Agreed other stores are very good but all need to be good, sorry but WH Smiths when in opperation fully on Broadway was a loverly place with helpful staff, but all gone and now the Westfield site.