Merseyway Shopping Centre

Merseyway Shopping Centre

New logo introduced in 2010
Location Stockport
Coordinates 53°24′40″N 2°09′33″W / 53.41111°N 2.15917°W / 53.41111; -2.15917
Address The Management Suite,
52-54 Great Underbank,
Stockport, SK1 1PD
Opening date 1965
Developer Hammerson
Management GVA Grimley
Owner In Receivership with GVA Grimley
No. of stores and services 95
No. of anchor tenants 3
Total retail floor area 32,050 metres2 (344,983 sq ft)
No. of floors 2
Parking 835 Spaces
Merseyway in 2010

Merseyway Shopping Centre is a large Shopping Centre in Stockport, England, forming the basis of the town's shopping area. It was opened in 1965 and extensively refurbished in 1995. It consists mainly of a large pedestrianised street built on stilts over the River Mersey. There are two levels of walkways giving access to the retail units. At the western end the street is covered forming a small mall that was converted in 1995. The developer was Hammerson who also owned the centre until 2003 when they sold the leasehold to a private property company (Stockport Holdings Ltd) owned by the Jersey-based Halabi family trust.[1] In 2009 the centre was placed into the hands of receivers.

The anchor stores are Debenhams and Marks & Spencer and there are approximately 85 other retailers..[2][3] To the south and east of the centre are the Peel Centre and the towns' historic Market.[4]

The centre and Stockport's shopping area attract about 14 million visitors per year, making it an importanr shopping destination in the Greater Manchester Urban Area. Its catchment covers much of the affluent areas of North Cheshire and South Manchester, competing with other major retail destinations in the area such as Manchester City Centre, Ashton-under-Lyne and the Trafford Centre.[5] The centre also hosts numerous promotional events at Christmas and throughout the year.[6]

Location

The centre's name Merseyway comes from the fact that the centre is built on giant stilts above the River Mersey and the river runs for the entire length of the centre.[7] In 2001 there were plans to fit glass panels to the pavements within the centre to reveal the River Mersey underneath, this was a plan to try to boost tourism in the town as the river is entirely covered and hidden while it runs under the centre. However there has been no development of these plans. In 2015 a section of pavement at the junction of Tiviot Dale and Warren Street was opened up allowing pedestrians a view of the river running under a reconstructed archway.[7]

History

Some of the supports beneath Merseyway

The centre was opened in 1965, as one of the first shopping precincts in the United Kingdom, since then it has undergone considerable development.

In 1995 it was extensively refurbished including the creation a new area of covered mall at the western edge of the centre facing onto Mersey Square.

In Administration

The centre's main entrance from Mersey Square

In February 2009, the centre was placed into the hands of receivers, the directors of GVA Grimley, due to the owners (Stockport Holdings Ltd), placing the centre into Administration. This statement appeared on the centre website on 16 February 2009;[8]

"On 16th February 2009 Directors of GVA Grimley were appointed Receivers under the Law of Property Act over

Merseyway Shopping Centre, Stockport. The Centre will continue to be managed by DTZ."[8]

— Unknown Author, Merseyway Shopping Centre Website

The Directors of GVA Grimley have stressed that the centre will continue to trade as normal and all retailers have been notified of the status, they have also said that in the current economic situation they will not seek to sell the centre, they will continue to run the centre and build upon its potential alongside the local authority and under current management DTZ.[8]

Retailers

There are around 100 tenants altogether in the centre, consisting of around 5 large department-type stores, which act as the principal anchors, alongside many more national chain stores, including; BHS, Marks & Spencer, Primark, Debenhams, Boots, River Island, HMV, Deichmann, McDonald's & Argos.[9] Independent traders locate themselves in the adjacent streets, such as Princes Street, the Underbanks and the Market Place.[10]

To the immediate East of the centre are two of the town's main supermarkets, Sainsbury's and Asda. The large Tesco Extra store is located on the opposite side of the M60 motorway. Retail Developments competing for similar tenants have sprung up around the centre, these include The Peel Centre, The Courts Shopping Centre and the planned Bridgefield development. Additionally some of the more traditional shopping streets such as Hillgate play host to independent retailers due to lower rents, as well as a small collection of national chain stores.

Transport links

The centre is easily accessible by car, from junctions 26, 27 or 1 of the M60 motorway, via the A6 from Manchester or Buxton.[11] There is extensive parking at the centre with a multi-storey carpark spread over a large area, containing 835 spaces and 31 disabled spaces. Additionally there is much more parking surrounding the centre.[12] The town's bus station is located directly opposite the western edge of the centre,[13] and close to the bus station, up the hill is Stockport railway station, which is accessible via the A6 or via a walkway from the bus station to the railway station.[14]

Future development

The area to the north of the centre may be developed over the next few years into another shopping centre, planned to contain more sizeable retail units to try to attract some of the larger stores into Stockport compared to the on average smaller units currently offered in the town centre by the Merseyway, this development is to be called Bridgefield. The initial developer was Australian Company, Lend Lease Corporation, who withdrew from the project in August 2008, throwing into doubt the whole of the town centre masterplan. But the council are still keen for another developer to take on the redevelopment scheme.[15][16] If constructed and when completed it is expected that this development will directly compete with the Merseyway for similar tenants. It has the backing of the council as it is the largest part of the town centre masterplan; 'Future Stockport'.[17]

In 2004 the local council announced that they were drawing up plans to redevelop the centre in conjunction with the owner Stockport Holdings Ltd[18]

In April 2007 Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council announced plans for a £2.25million refurbishment of the centre's car park, involving a major cosmetic improvement and a possible increase in the number of spaces.[19]

In August 2008, Lend Lease Corporation announced their intention to withdraw from the Bridgefield Redevelopment project due to global economic conditions and a drop in profits for 2007, Lend Lease had originally been selected as preferred developer by Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council in 2006 and had spent considerable amounts developing plans. This decision has thrown into doubt the large scale redevelopment of this area, and could mean the Merseyway will continue to be the prime retail site in Stockport for considerable time, but may be redeveloped to provide more retail space.[15]

External links

References

  1. ↑ "Grand Central sells for £11m". Manchester Evening News (M.E.N. Media). 17 May 2004. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  2. ↑ "Merseyway Shopping Centre - Retailers". Merseyway Shopping Centre. Archived from the original on 14 July 2008. Retrieved 9 March 2008. External link in |publisher= (help)
  3. ↑ "Westgate Department Store - Stockport". Anglia Regional Co-operative Society. Retrieved 9 March 2008.
  4. ↑ "Stockport MBC - Stockport Market". Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
  5. ↑ "Merseyway Shopping Centre - Profile" (PDF). Merseyway Shopping Centre. Retrieved 7 March 2008. External link in |publisher= (help)
  6. ↑ Rathbone, Gemma (19 December 2007). "Reindeers 'sleigh' the winter crowds". Stockport Express (M.E.N. Media). Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  7. 1 2 "Mersey view plan for shoppers". Manchester Evening News (M.E.N. Media). 7 December 2001. Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  8. 1 2 3 James Chapelard (31 March 2009). "Stockport’s Merseyway centre in administration - Crain's Manchester Business". Crain's Manchester Business. Retrieved 9 May 2009.
  9. ↑ "Merseyway Shopping Centre - Retailers". Merseyway Shopping Centre. Archived from the original on 14 July 2008. Retrieved 9 March 2008. External link in |publisher= (help)
  10. ↑ "Stockport MBC - Stockport Market". Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
  11. ↑ "Merseyway Shopping Centre - Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 3 April 2008.
  12. ↑ "Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council - Town Centre Car Parks". Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
  13. ↑ "GMPTE - Buses - Bus Station Departures - Stockport (See Bottom of Map)" (PDF). GMPTE. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 March 2008. Retrieved 3 April 2008.
  14. ↑ Philips Street Atlas - Greater Manchester (Map) (Pocket Edition - Third Edition First Impression 2004 ed.). Philips Maps. § P170 E8.
  15. 1 2 barry, chris (12 August 2008). "Bridgefield bombshell". Manchester Evening News (M.E.N. Media). Retrieved 16 April 2008.
  16. ↑ "Stockport Council - Bridgfield Retail Expansion". Stockport Council. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  17. ↑ "Bright future for Stockport town centre". Manchester Evening News (M.E.N. Media). 27 June 2006. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  18. ↑ Bottomley, Robert (5 April 2004). "Tired 60s look on the way out". Manchester Evening News (M.E.N. Media). Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  19. ↑ Maher, Paul (18 April 2007). "£2million improvement plan revealed to give facelift to Merseyway car park". Stockport Express (M.E.N. Media). Retrieved 1 April 2008.

Coordinates: 53°24′40″N 2°09′33″W / 53.41111°N 2.15917°W / 53.41111; -2.15917

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