The Mall Southampton
Encyclopedia
The Marlands Shopping Mall was opened on 5 September 1991. At the time, the Marlands Shopping Mall was the largest shopping centre in Southampton
and the first significant shopping centre in the city (East Street Shopping Centre being well out of the way of the main shopping district hence never being very successful and the Bargate Centre
being much smaller), however it is now dwarfed by WestQuay, which opened in 2000.
The Marlands Shopping Centre was constructed to an extremely PostModern design, which was described at the time of opening by one critic as looking like "something made of Lego". The Centre was built on the site of Southampton's bus station (the city is now without such a facility), a popular rose garden and some terraced housing. Some of the facades of the houses were retained and form an interesting part of the centre's atrium.
The centre is laid out across two levels, with escalators connecting them at the North West entrance and escalators and glass lifts connecting them in the atrium, at the South of the centre. Unlike most of its contemporaries, the Marlands Shopping Centre does not contain a car park of any kind - the designated car park for the centre is accessed by going through Southampton's unusual ASDA supermarket which is on a slope - you go in on the ground floor and come out on the tenth floor - and across a bridge.
The original anchor tenant Dunnes Stores
is now Matalan
. Other significant stores include Poundland CeX, The Disney Store and F. Hinds
. The upper level of the centre has never been hugely successful - many of the units have been empty for some time. This lack of success is mainly due to the centre's location which is to the Northern part of the main shopping area although still in the centre of the city.
In 2005-2006 the main (Above Bar Street) entrance to the centre was significantly refurbished. The original 'Postmodern' sign tower was replaced with an ultramodern glass and steel canopy and a new Costa Coffee outlet. An information desk was also added.
On Thursday 19th August 2010 The Mall was sold as a £136m deal. Other Malls throughout the UK have been sold and will now be run as part of a group, together with others in Gloucester, Romford and Falkirk, by a specially created management company called The Other Retail Group.
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
and the first significant shopping centre in the city (East Street Shopping Centre being well out of the way of the main shopping district hence never being very successful and the Bargate Centre
Bargate Centre
The Bargate Shopping Mall is located in the City Centre of Southampton, England, and is a small mall that was opened in the late 1980s. It takes its name from the adjacent Bargate, part of the ancient city walls and one of Southampton's most famous landmarks.The Bargate Centre mainly contains...
being much smaller), however it is now dwarfed by WestQuay, which opened in 2000.
The Marlands Shopping Centre was constructed to an extremely PostModern design, which was described at the time of opening by one critic as looking like "something made of Lego". The Centre was built on the site of Southampton's bus station (the city is now without such a facility), a popular rose garden and some terraced housing. Some of the facades of the houses were retained and form an interesting part of the centre's atrium.
The centre is laid out across two levels, with escalators connecting them at the North West entrance and escalators and glass lifts connecting them in the atrium, at the South of the centre. Unlike most of its contemporaries, the Marlands Shopping Centre does not contain a car park of any kind - the designated car park for the centre is accessed by going through Southampton's unusual ASDA supermarket which is on a slope - you go in on the ground floor and come out on the tenth floor - and across a bridge.
The original anchor tenant Dunnes Stores
Dunnes Stores
Dunnes Stores, also known as Dunnes, is a supermarket and clothing retail chain, that is based in Dublin, Ireland.The chain primarily sells food, clothes and household wares. In addition to its main customer base in Ireland, the chain has operations in Great Britain and Spain...
is now Matalan
Matalan
Matalan is a British retailer that specialises in shoes and clothes. It was founded by John Hargreaves in 1985. It currently has 200 stores across the UK. The 200th store opened on 22 September 2006 in Croydon...
. Other significant stores include Poundland CeX, The Disney Store and F. Hinds
F. Hinds
F. Hinds is a jewellery retailing chain, operating in England and Wales. There are currently 110 F Hinds stores within the United Kingdom.The chain is an independent retailer which was founded in 1856 by George Henry Hinds, although his father Joseph was also a clockmaker in Stamford,...
. The upper level of the centre has never been hugely successful - many of the units have been empty for some time. This lack of success is mainly due to the centre's location which is to the Northern part of the main shopping area although still in the centre of the city.
In 2005-2006 the main (Above Bar Street) entrance to the centre was significantly refurbished. The original 'Postmodern' sign tower was replaced with an ultramodern glass and steel canopy and a new Costa Coffee outlet. An information desk was also added.
On Thursday 19th August 2010 The Mall was sold as a £136m deal. Other Malls throughout the UK have been sold and will now be run as part of a group, together with others in Gloucester, Romford and Falkirk, by a specially created management company called The Other Retail Group.