Bentalls

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"Bentall centre" redirects here. For the Bentall Centre structures in Vancouver, please see Bentall Centre (Vancouver).

Bentalls is a department store in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, England. The well regarded 'county' department store began as a drapery shop, founded by Frank Bentall, in 1867. It is now owned by the independent 'Fenwick' group, together with one other 'Bentalls' store, in Bracknell, Berkshire.

In addition to the Kingston and Bracknell stores, Bentalls once operated stores in Ealing, Worthing, Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Lakeside and Bristol. The Bournemouth based 'J E Beale' group acquired the lease to three of these sites, in 2002, where the department stores continue to trade under the 'Beales' name.

The Bentalls department store lends its name to The Bentall Centre (shopping centre) in Kingston upon Thames in which the principal Bentalls outlet is now located. The store previously occupied buildings covering the entire site of the development.

Contents

[edit] The Bentall Centre, Kingston upon Thames

[edit] History and development

In 1987, construction began on creating a new Bentalls department store and shopping centre. This new development was to include a six level department store and a four level adjoining shopping centre including over 100 retail units.

The development took five years to complete and was built in two phases, allowing the existing department store to trade throughout the development period. The new shopping centre was opened in November 1992 by Edward Bentall (descendant of Frank Bentall) and Nick Price from Norwich Union.

[edit] Unique features

The shopping centre's atrium ceiling is higher than the nave of Westminister Abbey or the dome of St Paul's Cathedral. The original department store's Aston Webb façade, built in the 1930s and inspired by Wren's design for Hampton Court, was retained.

Another significant feature of the centre is an escalator which travels from the ground to the second floor. It is the largest single truss escalator in the world with only a top and bottom support.

When opened, a statue of Leonard Bentall by William Reid Dick was placed on the top floor looking down across the whole centre. However when Fenwick bought the department store, they moved it into the department store as they believed it affected the sight lines into the store.

The Bentall Centre was also the first shopping centre in the UK to adopt a "no smoking" policy throughout.

[edit] Retail units

In January 2005, the shops and restaurants occupying The Bentall Centre included:

[edit] External links

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