Broadway patience is rewarded (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Broadway patience is rewarded

8:28am Thursday 19th July 2012 in Our View

The news that Westfield now has in place all three anchor stores for the long-awaited Broadway shopping centre development indicates that the city’s patience could finally be rewarded.

The developer has Debenhams and M&S firmly signed up with Next also agreeing terms, and there is now a real momentum behind the proposals.

For all sorts of reasons, mostly beyond its control, Bradford has been waiting far too long for the stalled shopping centre but today’s news is a major and significant step forward and will undoubtedly pave the way for the 75 or so smaller units within the complex to attract fresh interest from retailers.

Although it has seemed to many of those looking on that Westfield has done nothing since the modified plans were agreed in October, there has been a huge amount of activity going on behind the scenes with Bradford Council and the anchor tenants.

The confidence shown by these three key players along with Westfield and Bradford Council must be applauded.

The Council has held its nerve in the face of mounting criticism over the continued delays with the scheme and now it seems there is light at the end of the tunnel. After all, firms like M&S, Debenhams and Next do not commit to 25 to 30 year leases in developments they believe are unlikely to happen.

The huge increase in the city’s population, particularly among younger people, revealed in the Census figures shows there is a growing market here to be tapped into and now is the time for the chain stores and ambitious independents to grab the opportunity to follow the lead of these big-name stores.