Shopping centre undergoes refurbishment to enhance appeal
A Staffordshire shopping centre is to undergo a major refurbishment to boost its appeal and support new retailers.
Four new retailers have moved in to the Guildhall Shopping Centre in Stafford within past few months and the £750,000 upgrade announced by owner Edinburgh House Estates is hoping to enhance the mall’s profile.
The arrival of Shoezone, together with the other shops, is said to mark a positive change for the centre’s future.
New ceiling designs, improved and modernised LED lighting, replacement glass doors and a new canopy to replace the front doors facing the town centre’s Market Square all feature, in the planned three stages of the work.
The changes to the shopping centre come as many new stores have moved into the centre in 2017, including Yours Clothing, The Works, The Entertainer toy shop, Warren James Jewellers, and the Guildhall Gallery selling work by Staffordshire artists.
Hairstylists Supercuts have expanded to a larger space in the centre that has allowed them to introduce a digital receptionist, one of their most recent and successful high street formats.
George Demetriou, manager of the shopping centre, said: “It’s been a year of big changes, and we know the public had concerns about our future, but rest assured the centre is not closing – far from it, we’re making big changes, with many new retailers opening. There are more changes to come in 2018 to further expand the offer to shoppers.
“This year we’ve added free wifi for shoppers, installed Amazon lockers for parcel collections and now offer a new affordable long-stay parking scheme. We’re thinking about the lifestyles of our residents and want to provide services to our visitors that will enhance their trips to the town centre.”
Phase one of the refurbishment is now complete, with modern new ceilings making a bold improvement. Phase two is now under way with refurbishment works taking place overnight to minimise disruption to shoppers. This is anticipated to continue until March 2018.
The centre is also home to high street bands including, The Body Shop, Clarkes, O2, F Hinds and Claires Accessories.
