Plans for major new leisure and retail scheme given green light

A major mixed-use scheme has been given the go-ahead by North-East Lincolnshire Council.

Plans for a new leisure, food hall and market development were given the green light last night (December 12).

The leisure scheme is due to be constructed using the western end of Freshney Place, the area that is currently the Top Town Market Hall and some units on the Bullring, which will provide a new offering for the people and businesses in Grimsby town centre.

So far, within the proposed scheme, a pre-let agreement is in place with local operator, Parkway Cinema, to bring a new five screen cinema to complement its offering at Cleethorpes.

The development also includes plans for a new food hall together with a market. This is sited on the area of the former BHS building.

Four new leisure, food and beverage, or retail outlets, including a larger unit to let, are also in the scheme, alongside four refurbished units within Freshney Place, with the return of Starbucks already agreed, and discussions underway with a leading food outlet.

Cllr Philip Jackson, leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “Grimsby town centre is changing. And the feel around the town centre is changing too.”

“We’ve now, as a Council, made the final decision to bring forward and support the Freshney Place leisure scheme and new food hall and complementary market, a project that will transform the centre of our key town in our borough.

“We’re on a hugely ambitious journey, with significant investment of public funds across our towns and borough.

“We’re investing in one of the largest schemes this council has ever invested in. We believe this is right for the town.”

Work is expected to start on site early in the new year.

Richard Parkes, owner of Parkway Cinema, said: “We’ve long discussed options for bringing a cinema to Grimsby, and reinventing Freshney Place is precisely the right approach. Town centres are not just about shopping – that doesn’t work anymore. We need to provide more reasons to visit and offer more things to do at more times during the day, and that’s just what we’ve signed up for – to bring that to Grimsby.”