Chapelfield

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Chapelfield is a large indoor shopping mall located on the edge of Norwich city centre, on the site previously occupied by the Caleys (later Rowntree Mackintosh and Nestlé) chocolate factory.

The centre opened in late September 2005, and was described as 'a major new shopping experience', featuring a new three-floor flagship House of Fraser department store. It was claimed to be the largest shopping centre to open in Britain in 2005, with 80 shops and 17 cafés and restaurants.

Like many new retail developments, Chapelfield opened amidst much fanfare and local controversy, with feeling in some quarters that the development brought little of real value to the city centre,^[1] instead turning Norwich into yet another Clone city^[2].

Criticism has been levied at the new development, suggesting that the 'new' shops are mostly stores that have relocated from elsewhere in the town centre. The developers respond, however, that 50% of the stores are 'completely new to Norwich' with the only House of Fraser in the region^[3].

In May 2006 it was announced that some businesses in the mall were underperforming due to a lack of trade ^[4].