Opening date confirmed for New Street station, Grand Central and John Lewis

BIRMINGHAM’s much-anticipated Grand Central shopping centre will open its doors to the public for the first time on Thursday September 24, it has been confirmed.

The city’s new £150m retail and dining destination will see the arrival of one of the biggest John Lewis department stores in the UK and will coincide with the completion of New Street Station.

Sir Albert Bore, leader of Birmingham City Council said: “The redevelopment of Grand Central has been a key project for the city: stimulating economic growth, creating over 1,000 jobs and acting as a catalyst for regeneration in the surrounding area.

“Grand Central will provide one of the best-connected shopping spaces in the country, helping to attract visitors to Birmingham. With its central location in the heart of the city it will be a key element of Birmingham’s ever improving retail and architectural landscape.”

The half a million sq ft centre is one of the biggest and most ambitious regeneration projects seen in the UK for many years, and is anticipated to attract over 50 million visitors per year.

An array of new brands will be making their debut in the city with the centre boasting over 60 shops, restaurants and cafes. The purpose is to make Birmingham one of the best appointed cities outside London.

Richard Brown, Grand Central development director, said: “After years of hard work and collaboration with Birmingham City Council and other key partners, it’s a pleasure to be able to announce the official opening date of Grand Central which has been eagerly awaited by people far and wide.

“We are making great progress with the development as we are entering into the final stages before nearing completion. There is still a lot to do, but we are right on schedule with a real buzz on site as we are seeing the centre being brought to life.”

Commuters using the new station are expected to get an early glimpe of what is in store when they are allowed onto the new concourse from September 20.

The £35m John Lewis store will stretch across four floors and 250,000sq ft, offering more than 350,000 products including fashion, furniture, homewares, beauty and the latest technology.

Lisa Williams, store manager, said: “It is so exciting to be able to announce the opening date of our regional flagship shop (which) will be our most innovative to date.”

The shopping centre has been designed to create an exciting and vibrant environment for shoppers and commuters with a new atrium interior that will accommodate the shops and restaurants above the station concourse.

Interactive internal displays will allow visitors to explore not just the centre but also other attractions in the city; and the customer service is intended to be exemplary with all staff having undergone special customer service training.

Martin Frobisher, route director for London North West said: “I am really looking forward to opening the doors to our fantastic new station. In addition to a striking building in the heart of the city passengers will experience a station with natural light, improved platform access, stunning architecture and better routes through the city.

“It has certainly been worth the wait and in combination with Grand Central creates a great first impression of Birmingham.”