staffordjas
Well-Known Forumite
Shows how long its been since I've been through the Guildhall , just had to Google The Entertainer. Never seen that one before .
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Guildhall closure?
- Thread starter Tumble weed
- Start date
Shows how long its been since I've been through the Guildhall , just had to Google The Entertainer. Never seen that one before .
Glam
Mad Cat Woman
I only ever go Poundland.
markpa12003
Well-Known Forumite
The Guildhall has been badly run and in decline for years. No idea why the previous owners thought it was a good idea to remove the fountains and benches, plus the decision to remove the escalators to the 2nd floor was also a poor decision, imo.
The Guildhall used to be a pleasant / enjoyable place to visit now its somewhere where I just walk through.
I hope the new owners finally invest in the Guildhall and make it a place worth visiting again.
The Guildhall used to be a pleasant / enjoyable place to visit now its somewhere where I just walk through.
I hope the new owners finally invest in the Guildhall and make it a place worth visiting again.
The Notorious A.N.T.
Well-Known Forumite
I would love to know how much the new owners paid for the Guildhall & if the old guys had to 'take a bath' on it. Over in Wolvo, House of Fraser sold the Beatties building to a Danish investment company for £47M in 2006. Price when they sold it on last February........£3M!.
Len's Lens
Well-Known Forumite
I wasn't aware of a 2nd floor to the Guildhall. Or fountains. What's up on the second floor now or is it storage facilities?
littleme
250,000th poster!
There were a couple of smaller shops, Dallans being one, a soft play place where you could leave your kids (for a fee), a large sports shop to, Sports direct or JD sports I think. I can't remember if there was a cafe up there, or if it was directly below.
Tumble weed
Well-Known Forumite
The upper floor was never really utilised property, had more of a market feel and didn't have any mainstream shops. Dallans was a great walk around though as a kid ! Remember there being a lot of empty units up there.
The first regeneration was the removal of the fountains and benches which imo, we're a great focal point, so that was unfortunate, you can see where they were from the different coloured tiles on the floor, normally this is where the calendar club goes. But the removal makes the walkways far to empty . Think there was some health and safety reason why they had to go, clearly didn't want to pay to have them over watched and I guess we're scared of small children drowning , as kids always used to sit round the edges. Also I think there was some water born disease scare, not in the centre itself, just nationally maybe listeria ?
Anyway, the second phase included the demolition of many smaller units, the original guildhall had many more shops inside, this phase demolished many, and got some big name anchor stores in.
They moved hmv in , and a big Waterstones downstairs, and cleared the upstairs for a big JJB, they also included a fresh milk shake store, similar pull to Starbucks, but did any milkshake combination you wanted, called shakeaway!, The card factory was also moved into bigger premises , and Clarks was moved across into a newly fitted shop.
This was it's most successful period imo, and they owners did everything right....
Unfortunately, one by one, these national firms collapsed, and unfortunately, there's just no body left to fill the void.
The first regeneration was the removal of the fountains and benches which imo, we're a great focal point, so that was unfortunate, you can see where they were from the different coloured tiles on the floor, normally this is where the calendar club goes. But the removal makes the walkways far to empty . Think there was some health and safety reason why they had to go, clearly didn't want to pay to have them over watched and I guess we're scared of small children drowning , as kids always used to sit round the edges. Also I think there was some water born disease scare, not in the centre itself, just nationally maybe listeria ?
Anyway, the second phase included the demolition of many smaller units, the original guildhall had many more shops inside, this phase demolished many, and got some big name anchor stores in.
They moved hmv in , and a big Waterstones downstairs, and cleared the upstairs for a big JJB, they also included a fresh milk shake store, similar pull to Starbucks, but did any milkshake combination you wanted, called shakeaway!, The card factory was also moved into bigger premises , and Clarks was moved across into a newly fitted shop.
This was it's most successful period imo, and they owners did everything right....
Unfortunately, one by one, these national firms collapsed, and unfortunately, there's just no body left to fill the void.
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Tumble weed
Well-Known Forumite
markpa12003
Well-Known Forumite
Part of the 2nd floor is now used by the gym but the remainder of the area is blocked off.
The fountains and benches made the Guildhall attractive place to visit.
Lots of poor decisions made over the years which have ruined the centre.
Mudgie
Well-Known Forumite
Your mention that "the first regeneration was the removal of the fountains and benches" reminds me that a few years ago a friend visiting from Liverpool wanted to use a mobile 'phone shop there and as he would be a while and I can't stand for long, since a stroke twelve years ago severely affected my balance, I sat on the floor though well out of anyone's way especially as it was a quiet time of day. Within a couple of minutes I was approached by a security man who asked what I was doing and if I was all right.The upper floor was never really utilised property, had more of a market feel and didn't have any mainstream shops. Dallans was a great walk around though as a kid ! Remember there being a lot of empty units up there.
The first regeneration was the removal of the fountains and benches which imo, we're a great focal point, so that was unfortunate, you can see where they were from the different coloured tiles on the floor, normally this is where the calendar club goes. But the removal makes the walkways far to empty . Think there was some health and safety reason why they had to go, clearly didn't want to pay to have them over watched and I guess we're scared of small children drowning , as kids always used to sit round the edges. Also I think there was some water born disease scare, not in the centre itself, just nationally maybe listeria ?
Anyway, the second phase included the demolition of many smaller units, the original guildhall had many more shops inside, this phase demolished many, and got some big name anchor stores in.
They moved hmv in , and a big Waterstones downstairs, and cleared the upstairs for a big JJB, they also included a fresh milk shake store, similar pull to Starbucks, but did any milkshake combination you wanted, called shakeaway!, The card factory was also moved into bigger premises , and Clarks was moved across into a newly fitted shop.
This was it's most successful period imo, and they owners did everything right....
Unfortunately, one by one, these national firms collapsed, and unfortunately, there's just no body left to fill the void.
That now makes me think that a business that doesn't provide things like seating and toilets in large premises doesn't deserve to succeed. But maybe the owners were thinking that a change to residential use would be more profitable when they removed the fountains and the benches. .
Cue
Well-Known Forumite
We had a Shakeaway!? I missed that, damn.
The big mistake was merging units I suspect, big brands don’t want the stores anyway and the larger square footage puts them out of reach of smaller businesses. They really need to split them up again, then there’s less eggs in one basket
staffordjas
Well-Known Forumite
If my memory is correct..Shakeaway went into the old Virginia Media store ( we sat there taking our old contract . Can't remember whether in 2007 when we first got virgin, or later where we got their phone contracts) . Tt was also an EE store before that and more recently the travel agents which moved into that unit.
Tumble weed
Well-Known Forumite
Yeah , shakeaway was where the travel agent is now, just behind the body shop iirc. I loved seeing the fancy colours.
The thing is, as is, it's fairly doomed, there's no exciting shops in there.
All the shops from phase two created a buzz, literally my only really reason to go in there now is for o2. But saying all this, there's no mainstream shops left on the high street that we don't have.
John Lewis is more likely to vanish, and I doubt Waitrose wants to expand.
A Morrisons could do ok there, but again, it's not an exciting shop.
Maybe splitting all the units up and turning it into a boutique is the way forward. Least that would give the place some individuality.
The thing is, as is, it's fairly doomed, there's no exciting shops in there.
All the shops from phase two created a buzz, literally my only really reason to go in there now is for o2. But saying all this, there's no mainstream shops left on the high street that we don't have.
John Lewis is more likely to vanish, and I doubt Waitrose wants to expand.
A Morrisons could do ok there, but again, it's not an exciting shop.
Maybe splitting all the units up and turning it into a boutique is the way forward. Least that would give the place some individuality.
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Cue
Well-Known Forumite
I’m trying to think off the top of my head what’s in there…
Did I miss anything? Nothing really inspires joy there at all, and most have alternatives on the high street and surrounding area anyway. We have loads of interesting food places, The Entertainer is basically a showroom for Amazon, Asda sell cards if you really wanna throw £2 at something that’ll be chucked in 2 weeks, Clarkes is generally quite expensive for shoes…
Yeah, you can’t have a shopping centre survive off that.
- Card Factory
- Clarkes
- O2
- A travel agent I can’t remember the name of
- Jewellers on the entrance
- The Works which seems to be constantly having a clearance anyway
- The Entertainer
- Store Twenty One
- That bag shop, if it’s still there?
- Usually a couple of low-effort pop-ups… last time I went in one of those it was an inspiring sweet shop with the guy standing at the counter on the phone the entire time
- Elements Gym
- That food place next to the college exit
Did I miss anything? Nothing really inspires joy there at all, and most have alternatives on the high street and surrounding area anyway. We have loads of interesting food places, The Entertainer is basically a showroom for Amazon, Asda sell cards if you really wanna throw £2 at something that’ll be chucked in 2 weeks, Clarkes is generally quite expensive for shoes…
Yeah, you can’t have a shopping centre survive off that.
littleme
250,000th poster!
It's been a while since you went in there then.... Store 21 closed & went into liquidation in 2017.
I can't recall seeing the travel agents for a long time, and the cafe shut a long time ago.
There's Shoe zone in there, and maybe Roman originals.
I occasionally use the card shop, but mostly use the guildhall as a cut through if its raining outside.
littleme
250,000th poster!
Oooh there's, a perfume place too!