joshua
Well-Known Forumite
Kingsmead car park saga nears end in Stafford
Stafford | News | Published: 2 hours ago
The saga surrounding a town centre car park which has remained shut for more than a year is nearing an end.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
Traders outside the car park
The Kingsmead site, between North Wall and the A34 in the middle of Stafford, has been a regular source of frustration for nearby traders, but things are set to move a significant step forward in the coming weeks with developers handing over the site to retailers in July.
The area was thrown into chaos after Morrisons pulled out of bringing a major supermarket last year.
But Kingsmead will now become a retail park featuring Aldi, Just for Pets and B&M Bargains.
Since the Morrisons announcement the large car park at the site has remained closed for more than a year despite the lines being painted and it seemingly being ready to use.
The closure has had a knock-on effect on neighbouring businesses due to the drop in footfall.
Firms have reported losses of 80 per cent while some traders have even left because they could no longer take the hit.
Stafford MP Jeremy Lefroy revealed the retailers moving in would formally take over the site next month.
He said: “I spoke to the developers on Tuesday and they said they are on target to hand over to the incoming sites in July.
“Clearly it will take some time to fit out the shops but given they are big national companies I am sure they will want to get them open as soon as possible. I imagine the carpark will open as soon as the first store does.
“They did not give me an exact date but they said July.”
Amy Walsh, who owns Cup A Cha on North Walls, said: “It is really good news. Better than hearing nothing anyway. The problems we had were a lot more severe 12 months ago when they were doing the gas works.
“I had my footway dug up several times.
“But it has segregated the town, a lot of people just don’t think to come down here at the moment because they think it is just a building site.”
She added: “What it is going to be looks really good, people tend to like retail parks now.
“I just hope before it does open we get a bit of notice and coming soon signs, because it will probably go from being dead as it is now, to manic.”
Current owners of the site Triple Jersey were unable to comment.
Stafford Staffordshire Local Hubs News
By Carl Jackson
Reporter - @cjackson_star
Senior reporter for Staffordshire and Walsall.
Stafford | News | Published: 2 hours ago
The saga surrounding a town centre car park which has remained shut for more than a year is nearing an end.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
Traders outside the car park
The Kingsmead site, between North Wall and the A34 in the middle of Stafford, has been a regular source of frustration for nearby traders, but things are set to move a significant step forward in the coming weeks with developers handing over the site to retailers in July.
The area was thrown into chaos after Morrisons pulled out of bringing a major supermarket last year.
But Kingsmead will now become a retail park featuring Aldi, Just for Pets and B&M Bargains.
Since the Morrisons announcement the large car park at the site has remained closed for more than a year despite the lines being painted and it seemingly being ready to use.
The closure has had a knock-on effect on neighbouring businesses due to the drop in footfall.
Firms have reported losses of 80 per cent while some traders have even left because they could no longer take the hit.
Stafford MP Jeremy Lefroy revealed the retailers moving in would formally take over the site next month.
He said: “I spoke to the developers on Tuesday and they said they are on target to hand over to the incoming sites in July.
“Clearly it will take some time to fit out the shops but given they are big national companies I am sure they will want to get them open as soon as possible. I imagine the carpark will open as soon as the first store does.
“They did not give me an exact date but they said July.”
Amy Walsh, who owns Cup A Cha on North Walls, said: “It is really good news. Better than hearing nothing anyway. The problems we had were a lot more severe 12 months ago when they were doing the gas works.
“I had my footway dug up several times.
“But it has segregated the town, a lot of people just don’t think to come down here at the moment because they think it is just a building site.”
She added: “What it is going to be looks really good, people tend to like retail parks now.
“I just hope before it does open we get a bit of notice and coming soon signs, because it will probably go from being dead as it is now, to manic.”
Current owners of the site Triple Jersey were unable to comment.
Stafford Staffordshire Local Hubs News
By Carl Jackson
Reporter - @cjackson_star
Senior reporter for Staffordshire and Walsall.
