Westfield revises Broadway plan

Westfield is planning to restart its stalled Broadway shopping centre in the first half of next year. The Australian company has revealed the development will be built in two phases to allow the retail side to come to fruition first.

Westfield is submitting revised plans that will lightly reduce the 588,000 sq ft of retail space. The new plans will still provide more than half a million sq ft and be anchored by two large department stores as originally envisaged. A public consultation is scheduled to take place at the Midland Hotel on July 1 and 2, with the new plans being submitted in late July.

If a leasing campaign proves successful, Westfield hopes to be on the Broadway site next year. The footprint of the new scheme will extend over the same expanse of land as the original, but the height of the centre will be reduced in places, with some double-level stores remaining.

By building in two phases the progress of the retail side would no longer depend on the success of the office and residential components. Westfield are currently revamping their website for the Broadway site.

















An artist's impression of the new look Westfield site.

Bradford's Urban Garden closed

Bradford's Urban Garden has been closed for drainage work that could cost up to £30,000. Heavy rain over the last few weeks has created big pools. A Bradford council spokesman said that the ground has turned out to be less porous than was expected. Also when the plans were submitted there was no need for land drainage to be taken into account because no buildings were going to be built.

Bradford Council, Westfield and Yorkshire Forward will split the costs for adding drainage piping, which could be as much as £30,000. Bradford Reporter feels this is a waste of money, in addition to the £300,000 that was used to make the park. The park would have made more sense if it was a car park. The council could have also charged a nominal fee with funds helping Bradford. Many shop managers located close to the area, including Stead and Simpson's manager, which is due to close, feel a car park would have been better use of the land. A car park would attract more people to use the neighbouring shops. The park debacle is yet another failure of the council to listen to its people.

Another shop bites the dust

Stead & Simpson, one of Britain's oldest retailers that has had a presence in Bradford city centre for 50 years is due to close on Thursday, 20th January. The shop is one of a very small number of shoe shops left in the city centre. The shop manager, Walter Lazorky, who has been running the shop for 30 years blames the stalled Westfield centre for sounding the death knell. He also predicted many more shops could soon follow suit.

The closure of the shoe shop will leave five employees without work. News of the closure comes at a time when the council is supposedly trying to "re-engage" with city centre traders through consultations.

Mr Lazoryk also said that rather than turning the Westfield site into an urban park it should have been made into a car park, which could also have charged a small fee and he believes this would have attracted more shoppers to the area.

Mr Lazoryk said that although the shop had a loyal customer base there was no hope in attracting new customers and therefore the shop was no longer viable. Other stores such as HMV, could soon close as the music retailer has reported disappointing sales over the Christmas period.