Frenchgate Centre
Encyclopedia
The Frenchgate Centre is a large shopping centre located in the town centre of Doncaster
, South Yorkshire
. It is named after the street of the same name that formed one of the old gates of medieval
Doncaster.
The centre has been the heart of the town for over 40 years and was originally called the Arndale Centre because it was built, owned and managed by the Arndale Group. It was re-named in 1988 after a change of ownership, with the new name reflecting the name of the street which passes to the east of the centre and which is one of Doncaster's main shopping streets.
The sale of the centre came just a year after the Frenchgate had undergone a £200 (GBP
) million facelift to transform it into the country's first shopping centre with integrated public transport
and retail interchange.
Before the change of name from Arndale to Frenchgate Centre, the centre was home to a controversial statue entitled 'The Lovers', which depicted a naked couple in a passionate embrace and which was the subject of many complaints from mothers who claimed that it was not appropriate for young children to see.
In 2004 the Northern Bus Station and Gresley House, which were located on the northern side of Trafford Way, the road that passed round the northern side of the Frenchgate Centre, and where the rear entrance and service areas were located, were demolished to make way for a new Transport interchange and extension to the Frenchgate Centre. As part of this project the centre also received a major multi-million pound refurbishment, incorporating the centre into the new transport interchange. During the building of the extension, which involved building a tunnel over Trafford Way, part of the tunnel collapsed, severely injuring one of the building workers from the site.
The extension and transport interchange opened to the public on 8 June 2006.
. All bus services serving Doncaster
town centre operate to/from or via the interchange.
The interchange has three concourses A,B and C with 30 stands split between them.
On top of this, there is a direct link to the Doncaster railway station
from the Interchange, connecting Bus, Coach & Train in one place.
From Stop A1, there are many direct buses to/from the new Robin Hood Airport, approx. 8 miles (12.9 km) from Doncaster Town Centre (with all services taking approximately 25 minutes).
There is also a multi storey car park above the shopping centre, such that the shopping levels are between the bus station and the car park. The first 3/4 levels of parking are short stay, maintained by the centre, and the top 2 are long stay, for train users, and are maintained by East Coast Trains. This long stay car park replaced the strip car park that was behind Gresley House alongside the rail line.
Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
. It is named after the street of the same name that formed one of the old gates of medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
Doncaster.
The centre has been the heart of the town for over 40 years and was originally called the Arndale Centre because it was built, owned and managed by the Arndale Group. It was re-named in 1988 after a change of ownership, with the new name reflecting the name of the street which passes to the east of the centre and which is one of Doncaster's main shopping streets.
The sale of the centre came just a year after the Frenchgate had undergone a £200 (GBP
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
) million facelift to transform it into the country's first shopping centre with integrated public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
and retail interchange.
Before the change of name from Arndale to Frenchgate Centre, the centre was home to a controversial statue entitled 'The Lovers', which depicted a naked couple in a passionate embrace and which was the subject of many complaints from mothers who claimed that it was not appropriate for young children to see.
In 2004 the Northern Bus Station and Gresley House, which were located on the northern side of Trafford Way, the road that passed round the northern side of the Frenchgate Centre, and where the rear entrance and service areas were located, were demolished to make way for a new Transport interchange and extension to the Frenchgate Centre. As part of this project the centre also received a major multi-million pound refurbishment, incorporating the centre into the new transport interchange. During the building of the extension, which involved building a tunnel over Trafford Way, part of the tunnel collapsed, severely injuring one of the building workers from the site.
The extension and transport interchange opened to the public on 8 June 2006.
Transport Interchange
The transport interchange is located beneath the 2006 extension to the shopping centre, adjacent to the railway stationDoncaster railway station
Doncaster railway station serves the town of Doncaster, in South Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the East Coast Main Line north of London Kings Cross, and is about five minutes walk from Doncaster town centre. The station is managed by East Coast...
. All bus services serving Doncaster
Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
town centre operate to/from or via the interchange.
The interchange has three concourses A,B and C with 30 stands split between them.
On top of this, there is a direct link to the Doncaster railway station
Doncaster railway station
Doncaster railway station serves the town of Doncaster, in South Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the East Coast Main Line north of London Kings Cross, and is about five minutes walk from Doncaster town centre. The station is managed by East Coast...
from the Interchange, connecting Bus, Coach & Train in one place.
From Stop A1, there are many direct buses to/from the new Robin Hood Airport, approx. 8 miles (12.9 km) from Doncaster Town Centre (with all services taking approximately 25 minutes).
There is also a multi storey car park above the shopping centre, such that the shopping levels are between the bus station and the car park. The first 3/4 levels of parking are short stay, maintained by the centre, and the top 2 are long stay, for train users, and are maintained by East Coast Trains. This long stay car park replaced the strip car park that was behind Gresley House alongside the rail line.
See also
- DoncasterDoncasterDoncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
- Travel South Yorkshire
- Doncaster railway stationDoncaster railway stationDoncaster railway station serves the town of Doncaster, in South Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the East Coast Main Line north of London Kings Cross, and is about five minutes walk from Doncaster town centre. The station is managed by East Coast...
- Doncaster Frenchgate InterchangeDoncaster Frenchgate InterchangeDoncaster Frenchgate Interchange is a transport interchange located in the Frenchgate Centre in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. Doncaster Frenchgate Interchange is home to 30 bus bays, and also connects the shopping centre with the town's railway station....