Harlequin Shopping Centre
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| The Harlequin Centre | |
 Entrance to The Harlequin |
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| Mall facts and statistics | |
|---|---|
| Location | Watford, UK |
| Opening date | 1992 |
| Developer | Capital Shopping Centres |
| Management | Michael Stevens |
| Owner | Capital Shopping Centres |
| No. of stores and services | Over 145 |
| Total retail floor area | 726,000 sq ft |
| Parking | 2050 + 3000 in Watford |
| No. of floors | 7 (inc. Parking) |
| Website | http://www.theharlequin.uk.com |
The Harlequin Centre in Watford is one of the biggest shopping centres in Hertfordshire. It is run by Capital Shopping Centres. It boasts over 17 million stepping through its doors each year. It opened officially in 1992. Originally there were plans for 'Mars 1' to be built on the site but the Harlequin replaced it. It was built as a rival to Brent Cross because Watford wanted to be seen as modern. It is in the Centre of the Town and some blame it for the 'Death of the High Steet' It includes John Lewis, bhs, Marks & Spencer, Zara, Virgin Megastore, Next and most other high street names. It also has many one off stores. It brings many people into Watford. It is at the centre of the town and is the heart of Watford. It was ultra modern when built so it has kept up with times since it opened. It never has an empty unit for long. New shops are constantly opening. The centre is successfully integrated with the town, and as part of its development, listed high street buildings were preserved and brought back into use and Queen’s Road was maintained as a cross route through the town.
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[edit] Design
The Harlequin Centre is quite unique in the sense that the designers paid close attention to detail inside and out. The Malls are symmetrical. There are many clean curves. It is bright and cool. Ornaments on the walls and plants near the roof prove this point more. In the centre of the Centre, on the third floor, There is an area often used for exhibitions of local art. The Harlequin very much so is designed to attract shoppers but also to bring people together and to be a place that you want to go to. The glass roofs fill the Centre with light without need for artificial lighting. This it what makes it such a nice place to be. If you take the time to divert yourself from shopping and take a walk around the perimeter of the Centre, or view it from a distance, then you'll realise that unlike Brent Cross Details and Design have also been paid on the outside. The whole idea is based around a palace, This is present throughout, even the car parks continue this theme (Kings, Queens, Palace)
[edit] History
Some sort of development had been disputed for many years, since the mid 60’s in fact, which cast a blight over most of the shops trading in Queens Road. Queens Road had always been a secondary shopping district to the High Street. But it did have Watford’s main department store, Trewin’s, and the town’s best photographic studio, that of Greville’s. Lloyd Cooper was (and still is) the place for motor cycles from the very earliest of times.
The 1962 estimate was £3,000,000 to include a ten-pin bowling alley and 130 flats. It was £130,000,000 when the plans were presented in 1986. By 1992 there a sub-regional shopping centre, The Harlequin Centre which killed most of the High Street shops. To clear the way for Harlequin, the Sainsbury’s store in Queens Road needed re-siting; the Odeon cinema in the High Street was bought and demolished (1983), space at its rear being needed for the store’s warehouse. Harlequin started an even bigger argument.
Councillors wanted a water feature leisure element in the complex ‘to retain life in the evenings’. But at decision time the developers explained that swimming and shopping would not mix. The Council settled for building the of Watford Springs, a swimming/leisure centre built on the old Benskin’s Brewery site in the High Street. Badly constructed it lasted eleven years and had to be knocked down; a waste of around £12,000,000.
[edit] Transport
[edit] Rail
It is 10 minutes from Watford Junction and less than 5 minutes from Watford High Street station.
[edit] Bus
There are many bus stops in the town centre which serve the Harlequin Centre.
[edit] Road
There are over 6000 Parking spaces in Watford and the Harlequin Centre. Watford Ring Road circles the shopping centre providing access for cars to the car parks.
[edit] Bike
There are many cycle paths in Watford and some go through the town. There are lots of bike sheds in the town centre to securely park your bike.
[edit] Developments
Talks with the council to regenerate the neigbouring Charter Place site are moving forward swiftly after a planning brief was published
Capital Shopping Centres Developments
