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Riverside development April start
- Thread starter Gareth
- Start date
Sorry that's the one
Jade-clothing
Well-Known Forumite
If I made the effort to go and visit a town, I'd definitely explore so lets hope so.
Jade-clothing
Well-Known Forumite
ok, well I prefer to think positively and not condemn the centre before it's barely even off the ground. I hope it will attract even more visitors and other retailers will get wind of it and open up in some of the empty units in the town centre.
joshua
Well-Known Forumite
http://www.staffordshirenewsletter....utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer#1
THERE was a great atmosphere for the opening of the new look M&S at Stafford's Riverside Shopping Centre.
The new 44,000 sq. ft. store is double the size of the former store on Gaolgate Street and houses all departments, including a significantly increased choice in womenswear, menswear, kidswear and homeware.
The store also boasts a new beauty department, an impressive 10,000 sq. ft. foodhall and a 110-seat café with views across the River Sow.
Store manager Matthew Bayley and long serving employee Jane Hazeldine – together with 150 members of the M&S Stafford team – cut the ribbon and celebrated the launch of the new store accompanied by the Mayor of Stafford Borough, Councillor Geoff Collier.
The day saw hundreds of customers queuing outside the store in anticipation of the opening. At 10am, they were welcomed into the store with a glass of M&S Prosecco.
Kathryn Wild, 18, Frankii Narcisi, 19 and Becci Narcisi, 47, from Haughton, were checking out the new shop. Becci said: "We really like it. It's a fab store and I think it's an improvement on the old shop. It all looks very nice."
Jacqui Rowell, 59, from Stafford, said: "It seems great. It's not quite as big as I thought it was going to be, but the food section is brilliant and there's a lot of variety."
Renette Foreman, 56, from Newport Road, said: "I don't tend to shop in other areas, so I was thrilled this was coming. They have an extra two thirds of products compared to the old store. The flower section is fabulous and very well priced. I also really like the low level lighting and the general look of the store."
Libby Davies, 77, from Trinity Fields, used to work in the food hall section of the old store. She has now retired and is secretary of the Stafford Bright Sparks, a group of retired M&S employees. She said: "The café is fantastic. I kept saying we needed a bigger store in Stafford. I had mixed emotions about the old store closing but now we've got through that I think it's fantastic. The staff are the best and I wish them the best for the future."
Top stylists Francesca Zedda and Barbara Nigro came from M&S head office to give Stafford shoppers some fashion tips. Francesca said: "People in Stafford love the Per Una and the Classic ranges, which have been expanded compared to the old store.
"The Per Una range features a lot of printed tops in bright colours, with interesting textures. People here really love the tunics that you can wear over leggings, and the high-waisted trousers."
Stafford is also one of the first stores to start getting the M&S autumn collection.
Shoppers enjoyed a morning of entertainment including an array of in-store tastings and opportunities to win M&S gift cards.
Matthew Bayley, Store Manager at M&S Stafford, said: "We're thrilled to have officially opened the doors to our Stafford customers today. It's great to be able to show off the fantastic work that's gone into developing our offer in Stafford and we're delighted to hear such positive feedback from shoppers.
"The relocation has created 50 job opportunities locally and we're able to offer customers the very best of M&S. We very much look forward to serving the community for many years to come."
As part of the opening celebrations, the family of one of M&S Stafford's first ever employees, Wilfred Wilding, who worked for the store in 1933, were in attendance reminiscing the history of M&S and its iconic journey as a high street retailer.
The M&S store on Gaolgate Street closed on Wednesday, August 17, with all staff relocating to Stafford Riverside.
THERE was a great atmosphere for the opening of the new look M&S at Stafford's Riverside Shopping Centre.
The new 44,000 sq. ft. store is double the size of the former store on Gaolgate Street and houses all departments, including a significantly increased choice in womenswear, menswear, kidswear and homeware.
The store also boasts a new beauty department, an impressive 10,000 sq. ft. foodhall and a 110-seat café with views across the River Sow.
Store manager Matthew Bayley and long serving employee Jane Hazeldine – together with 150 members of the M&S Stafford team – cut the ribbon and celebrated the launch of the new store accompanied by the Mayor of Stafford Borough, Councillor Geoff Collier.
The day saw hundreds of customers queuing outside the store in anticipation of the opening. At 10am, they were welcomed into the store with a glass of M&S Prosecco.
Kathryn Wild, 18, Frankii Narcisi, 19 and Becci Narcisi, 47, from Haughton, were checking out the new shop. Becci said: "We really like it. It's a fab store and I think it's an improvement on the old shop. It all looks very nice."
Jacqui Rowell, 59, from Stafford, said: "It seems great. It's not quite as big as I thought it was going to be, but the food section is brilliant and there's a lot of variety."
Renette Foreman, 56, from Newport Road, said: "I don't tend to shop in other areas, so I was thrilled this was coming. They have an extra two thirds of products compared to the old store. The flower section is fabulous and very well priced. I also really like the low level lighting and the general look of the store."
Libby Davies, 77, from Trinity Fields, used to work in the food hall section of the old store. She has now retired and is secretary of the Stafford Bright Sparks, a group of retired M&S employees. She said: "The café is fantastic. I kept saying we needed a bigger store in Stafford. I had mixed emotions about the old store closing but now we've got through that I think it's fantastic. The staff are the best and I wish them the best for the future."
Top stylists Francesca Zedda and Barbara Nigro came from M&S head office to give Stafford shoppers some fashion tips. Francesca said: "People in Stafford love the Per Una and the Classic ranges, which have been expanded compared to the old store.
"The Per Una range features a lot of printed tops in bright colours, with interesting textures. People here really love the tunics that you can wear over leggings, and the high-waisted trousers."
Stafford is also one of the first stores to start getting the M&S autumn collection.
Shoppers enjoyed a morning of entertainment including an array of in-store tastings and opportunities to win M&S gift cards.
Matthew Bayley, Store Manager at M&S Stafford, said: "We're thrilled to have officially opened the doors to our Stafford customers today. It's great to be able to show off the fantastic work that's gone into developing our offer in Stafford and we're delighted to hear such positive feedback from shoppers.
"The relocation has created 50 job opportunities locally and we're able to offer customers the very best of M&S. We very much look forward to serving the community for many years to come."
As part of the opening celebrations, the family of one of M&S Stafford's first ever employees, Wilfred Wilding, who worked for the store in 1933, were in attendance reminiscing the history of M&S and its iconic journey as a high street retailer.
The M&S store on Gaolgate Street closed on Wednesday, August 17, with all staff relocating to Stafford Riverside.
c0tt0nt0p
Well-Known Forumite
Are you really sorry ??
pinky
Well-Known Forumite
I completely disagree with what you are saying. I am ashamed to say I do not put money into our town, if I need clothes I travel to Telford to go into h and m, primark and a nice big m and s. If i want the cinema I go to Wolverhampton or Telford and when we eat out it is generally in other towns. I will no longer need to do that, I have already purchase clothing in the new h and m and am looking forward to looking in the new m and s and having a coffee. I went to riverside the other day and as i walked past the library I thought why not pop in? I haven't seen the new one yet and I will be going back. Today I walked past riverside to see the band and I walked into town, went into superdrug, went into the sweet shop and had a coffee in town. And I will be doing it more. It is definitely going to draw people from surrounding towns who have to travel further afield to get to the chain shops and they have no reason not to come back.
markpa12003
Well-Known Forumite
The new shops / complex should encourage more people to shop in Stafford, which in turn should encourage more retailers to open a store in the area.
All positive for me. Long overdue.
Lets hope those in charge of the Guildhall will now do something to address its decline. It needs a major overhaul and an anchor store - ideally a Debenhams!
All positive for me. Long overdue.
Lets hope those in charge of the Guildhall will now do something to address its decline. It needs a major overhaul and an anchor store - ideally a Debenhams!
Len's Lens
Well-Known Forumite
Are all the shops built now, including the restaurants such as Nandos and Costa, or are they still yet to get off the ground, including the cinema?
alphagamma
Well-Known Forumite
Look what happened in Shrewsbury. Many moons ago they build a small shopping centre that does well for a few years, then fades out when they build a bigger one, which does well for a few years then fades out when they build another enormous one. Now a few years on and that one is full of empty shops, while the customers go to out of town places or shop on the internet.
Carole
Well-Known Forumite
Oh don't worry, I think we are getting used to it now.
It appears to be your default setting.
Out of curiosity, are you doom and gloom about everything or just Stafford?
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proactive
Enjoying a drop of red.
The cinema, and all the restaurants were all built last night and opened this morning.
alphagamma
Well-Known Forumite
Oh don't worry, I think we are getting used to it now.
It appears to be your default setting.
Out of curiosity, are you doom and gloom about everything or just Stafford?
Are you really sorry ??
Definitely. In fact, I'm so sorry that I'm offering an unreserved apology for any misunderstandings.
Great posts by pinky Carole and Jade. This new centre not only brings jobs, customer spending, business rates and big names into the town is didn't have but has reinvigorated a run down area.
this is great news town and should be welcomed with open arms and pis**ed all over by usual doom and gloom merchants and miserable gits.
if the guildhall come through and the north walls opens quick Stafford could be quids in. Believe or not stafford is still better than most towns when it comes shop occupancy better than the national and regional average.
The best news of all is the centre is barely open yet walking around town late friday tuesday and yesterday afternoons I couldn't believe how busy the town was, busier than I have seen in a couple of years. Trying to get a coffee in Starbucks at 3pm yesterday was a no go with a queue 5 deep ans every seat inside and out was taken. It was lovely to see.
I think the disrespectful comments by alpha that stafford has nothing to offer beyond mill st is outrageous. I am sure the likes of the swan bear grill pandora bean encounter, No7, market vaults, salter st toys, water stones, accessorize, monsoon, Hadleigh, sports direct, every business in church lane and st mary's mews, kismet rose, cup a cha, the cup cake shop ( can't remember name), ernest Jones, f hinds,butlers bell, argos, home and bargain, mr simms, thorntons, macdonalds, macgregors, smiths, clintons, greenwoods, body shop, tresspass, lapel, rig out, Gatehouses, st chads and marys church, the shirehall, ancient high house? County buildings etc etc wtc would have something to say about that.
Embrace it this is great for the town
this is great news town and should be welcomed with open arms and pis**ed all over by usual doom and gloom merchants and miserable gits.
if the guildhall come through and the north walls opens quick Stafford could be quids in. Believe or not stafford is still better than most towns when it comes shop occupancy better than the national and regional average.
The best news of all is the centre is barely open yet walking around town late friday tuesday and yesterday afternoons I couldn't believe how busy the town was, busier than I have seen in a couple of years. Trying to get a coffee in Starbucks at 3pm yesterday was a no go with a queue 5 deep ans every seat inside and out was taken. It was lovely to see.
I think the disrespectful comments by alpha that stafford has nothing to offer beyond mill st is outrageous. I am sure the likes of the swan bear grill pandora bean encounter, No7, market vaults, salter st toys, water stones, accessorize, monsoon, Hadleigh, sports direct, every business in church lane and st mary's mews, kismet rose, cup a cha, the cup cake shop ( can't remember name), ernest Jones, f hinds,butlers bell, argos, home and bargain, mr simms, thorntons, macdonalds, macgregors, smiths, clintons, greenwoods, body shop, tresspass, lapel, rig out, Gatehouses, st chads and marys church, the shirehall, ancient high house? County buildings etc etc wtc would have something to say about that.
Embrace it this is great for the town
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Jade-clothing
Well-Known Forumite
Well said Gareth and I totally agree - the feel of the town is definitely different already. I've probably invented this word but it feels 'throngy' when walking through the centre. There are definitely a lot more people around, and I don't believe it is because of the recent good weather or because of the school hols because usually you can tell when people are out for a good old shop or just mooching around because the weather is nice. We are usually notoriously quiet in the hols - who wants to be trying on bras with kids in tow? However we have just had our best couple of weeks all year, and I'm asking the out of towners why they are shopping in stafford and they have all said they have come to see what is new and check out the shopping centre.
It's great for us because there are no specialist fitting shops left in the whole of the stoke area and all of our new ladies have said they are fed up with having to order on the internet. Bras are really not the sort of thing you can buy online because even if you happen to know your size you will need to be fitted as you won't be the same size in every style and make. I don't believe we will be the only business to benefit from this - would be interesting to hear on here from other local shops if they have noticed an upturn in business.
alphagamma
Well-Known Forumite
'... disrespectful comments by alpha that stafford has nothing to offer beyond mill st'
Remind me when I said that, please.
Feed The Goat
Well-Known Forumite
Give it twelve months.
If the town centre has less empty shops and more store openings then the new centre has been good for the town.
Only time will tell.
If the town centre has less empty shops and more store openings then the new centre has been good for the town.
Only time will tell.
I went yesterday and it is much improved from when I went last week. If they can just open the empty units (have they all been filled now?) and get on with the cinema and restaurants I think it will continue to be a good thing for the town. I noticed a big increase in footfall also yesterday. I just hope it results in that end of town finally doing something with the empty units like the on next to toni and guy or the old bella ittaia, or the one next to revolution etc..