Atria Watford

Last updated
atria Watford
AtriaWatfordLogo.svg
Harlequin Centre, Watford.jpg
Atria Watford
Location Watford, Hertfordshire, England
Coordinates 51°39′19″N0°23′39″W / 51.65528°N 0.39417°W / 51.65528; -0.39417
Opening date1992
Previous namesThe Harlequin
Intu Watford
Developer Intu Properties
ManagementMichael Stevens
Owner(93%) Global Mutual, (7%) Watford Borough Council
Architect Chapman Taylor Partners [1]
No. of stores and servicesOver 145
Total retail floor area 107,000 m2 (1,150,000 sq ft)
No. of floors7 (inc. Parking)
Parking2050 + 3000 (Watford Council) in Watford
Website www.watford-shopping.co.uk

Atria Watford is a shopping centre in the middle of Watford, Hertfordshire, England. It opened in June 1992 as the Harlequin Shopping Centre. [2] [3] The centre was rebranded as intu Watford in 2013 following the renaming of its parent Capital Shopping Centres Group as Intu Properties. [4] It received its current name in March 2021 by the new owners, Global Mutual. [5] [6]

Contents

The building is glass roofed with symmetrical malls. The anchor stores of the centre were branches of John Lewis (known as Trewins until rebranding in 2001) [7] and Debenhams, until their closure in 2020. Apple Store, Marks & Spencer, Zara and Next continue to operate in the centre.

History

In 1962 there were discussions about development of the site with the plans including a ten-pin bowling alley and 130 flats.[ citation needed ]

The Sainsbury's store on Queen's Road was bought and demolished (1983) to create space for the centre and a warehouse. During the development of the centre, listed high street buildings were renovated and Queen's Road was maintained as a pedestrian cross route through the town. [8]

The shopping centre was named and opened by Harlequin Enterprises Ltd (founded 1987, dissolved 2000 [9] ) in 1990. [10] The name was a winning entry to a local competition; [11] according to the Watford Observer, the name was probably a reference to the nearby railway line, at the time branded the "Harlequin line" as it passed through Harlesden and Queen's Park. [12] [13]

Watford Council extended a resident parking permit scheme in 1996 to deal with the parking congestion that had arisen since the opening of the centre. [14]

Intu Properties purchased the adjoining Charter Place shopping centre from Watford Borough Council in April 2013. [15] [16] Planning permission was granted in 2014 for Charter Place to be demolished, to make way for a new mixed-use scheme which comprises 16 retail units, a new department store, 11 restaurants and a 9 screen Cineworld cinema, one of which is a high definition IMAX, which will be integrated into the main Intu Watford centre. [17] Demolition work began in November 2015. [18] On September 27, 2018 Debenhams opened a new 86,000 sq ft store in the extension, featuring its first redesigned beauty hall. [19] The 400,000 sq ft extension has increased the total size of the shopping centre to 1.15 million sq ft, making it number 18 in the list of the UK biggest retail destinations. [20]

Following Intu Properties plc entering administration in June 2020, a subsidiary of the company called Intu SGS received funding to take full control of the centre along with Lakeside, Victoria Centre and Braehead. The transfer from Intu to Intu SGS is expected to take place by the end of 2020, and will involve Global Mutual becoming asset manager of the centres and Savills serving as property manager. [21]

On 4 March 2021, new owners Global Mutual announced the renaming of the centre to atria Watford. It is named after the skylights spanning its roof. [22] This announcement caused controversy, with calls to revert the name to the Harlequin. [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Braehead</span> Shopping mall in Renfrewshire, Scotland

Braehead is a commercial development located at the former site of Braehead Power Station in Renfrew on the south bank of the River Clyde in Renfrew, Renfrewshire. It is particularly notable for its large shopping centre, arena and leisure facilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shopping mall</span> Large indoor shopping center, usually anchored by department stores

A shopping mall is a large indoor shopping center, usually anchored by department stores. The term "mall" originally meant a pedestrian promenade with shops along it, but in the late 1960s, it began to be used as a generic term for the large enclosed shopping centers that were becoming commonplace at the time. In the U.K., such complexes are considered shopping centres, though "shopping center" covers many more sizes and types of centers than the North American "mall". Other countries may follow U.S. usage while still others follow U.K. usage. In Canadian English, and often in Australia and New Zealand, the term 'mall' may be used informally but 'shopping centre' or merely 'centre' will feature in the name of the complex. The term 'mall' is less-commonly a part of the name of the complex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Watford</span> Town and borough in Hertfordshire, England

Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, 15 mi (24 km) north-west of Central London, on the banks of the River Colne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto Eaton Centre</span> Shopping mall and office complex in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Toronto Eaton Centre is a shopping mall and office complex in the downtown core of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is owned and managed by Cadillac Fairview (CF). It was named after the Eaton's department store chain that once anchored it before the chain went defunct in the late 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Debenhams</span> British department store chain, 1778–2021

Debenhams plc was a British department store chain operating in the United Kingdom, Denmark and the Republic of Ireland. It was founded in 1778 as a single store in London and grew to 178 locations across those countries, also owning the Danish department store chain Magasin du Nord. In its final years, its headquarters were within the premises of its flagship store in Oxford Street, London. The range of goods sold included middle-to-high-end clothing, beauty, household items, and furniture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lakeside Shopping Centre</span> Shopping mall in Essex, England

Lakeside Shopping Centre is a large out-of-town shopping centre located in West Thurrock, Essex just beyond the eastern boundary of Greater London. It was constructed on the site of a former chalk quarry. The first tenants moved into the complex in 1988 and it was completed in 1990, being opened on 25 October of that year by Princess Alexandra of Kent, Marcus Bradford and Angus Ogilvy. New spaces in the red car park were added as recently as October 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MetroCentre (shopping centre)</span> Architectural structure

Metrocentre is a shopping centre and entertainment complex in the Dunston area of Gateshead. It is located on the former site of Dunston Power Station, near to the River Tyne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamleys</span> British multinational toy retailer

Hamleys is a British multinational toy retailer, owned by Reliance Retail. Listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's oldest toy store, it was founded by William Hamley as "Noah's Ark" in High Holborn, London, in 1760. It moved to its current site on Regent Street in London's West End in 1881. This flagship store is set over seven floors, with more than 50,000 lines of toys on sale. It receives around five million visitors each year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trafford Centre</span> Shopping center and entertainment complex in Trafford, Greater Manchester

The Trafford Centre is a large indoor shopping centre and entertainment complex in Urmston, Greater Manchester, England. It opened in 1998 and is third largest in the United Kingdom by retail space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria Centre</span> Shopping mall in Nottingham City Centre, England

Victoria Centre is a shopping centre in Nottingham, England, constructed between 1967 and 1972. It contains fashion and high street chain stores as well as cafes, restaurants, a health and fitness centre, and the Nottingham Victoria bus station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merry Hill Shopping Centre</span> Shopping centre in England

Merry Hill is a large shopping complex in Brierley Hill near Dudley, England. It was developed between 1985 and 1990, with several subsequent expansion and renovation projects. The centre is anchored by Marks & Spencer, Primark, Asda, Next and formerly Debenhams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Intu</span> United Kingdom-based real estate investment trust

Intu Properties plc was a British real estate investment trust (REIT), largely focused on shopping centre management and development. Originally named Liberty International plc, it changed its name in May 2010 to Capital Shopping Centres Group plc after demerging its Capital & Counties Properties business unit to form an independent business. The company adopted the Intu name on 18 February 2013, and this was followed by the rebranding of most of its shopping centres under the Intu title from May 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Watford High Street railway station</span> London Overground station

Watford High Street is a railway station in Watford, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. It is served by the Watford DC line on the London Overground network. It is the only station on the line's sole deviation from the West Coast Main Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eldon Square Shopping Centre</span> Shopping mall in Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Eldon Square is a shopping centre in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It opened in 1976 and was built on the site of Old Eldon Square, a famous part of Georgian Newcastle designed by John Dobson in about 1824. This redevelopment, which left only the eastern terrace standing, has been criticised, with one writer calling it "the greatest single example of architectural vandalism in Britain since the war".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derbion</span> Shopping mall in Derby, England

Derbion is a large indoor shopping centre in Derby, England. It is the largest shopping centre in the East Midlands and the 15th largest in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chantry Place</span> Shopping mall in Norwich, England

Chantry Place, formerly Intu Chapelfield and before that Chapelfield, is a shopping centre in Norwich city centre, on a site previously occupied by the Caleys chocolate factory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Glades (Bromley)</span> Shopping mall in Greater London, England

The Glades is a shopping centre in Bromley, England. It has a total of 135 stores trading from a combined floorspace of 464,000 sq ft (43,100 m2). Opened as The Glades on Tuesday 22 October 1991, the centre is currently jointly owned by Alaska Permanent Fund (85%) and the London Borough of Bromley (15%). In October 2015 it was confirmed that Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation had agreed to acquire the stakes held by intu Properties and CGNU/Aviva in a £177m deal, giving the APFC 85% holding of the mall and taking the Bromley centre out of intu's network. The sale completed towards the end of 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telford Shopping Centre</span> Shopping mall in Shropshire, England

Telford Centre, previously branded as Telford Shopping Centre, is a 52-acre (210,000 m2) indoor shopping centre in Telford, Shropshire, England, housing the streets North Sherwood Street, Sherwood Square, Sherwood Street, Wyre Hall, Sherwood Row, Southwater, The Border, Kielder Square, New Street, Chase Telford, Wrekin Square, New Row, Dean Street, Dean Square and Ashdown Row.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Chimes, Uxbridge</span> Shopping mall in Greater London, England

The Chimes is a shopping centre in Uxbridge, within the London Borough of Hillingdon, owned by the Malaysian pension fund Kumpulan Persaan. Opened in February 2001, the centre includes 71 stores, cafes and restaurants, including Boots, H&M and Next as anchor stores. A multi-screen Odeon cinema with an IMAX screen is also part of the centre. A number of existing old buildings in Uxbridge High Street were restored and incorporated into the new shopping centre, which was designed with the intention of it blending into its surroundings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yas Mall</span> Shopping mall in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi

Yas Mall is a mall in Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It serves as a place for shopping, dining and entertainment for residents of Abu Dhabi and Yas Island. It covers an area of approximately 235,000 square metres.

References

  1. ↑ Phillips, Derek (2013). "Case study 45: Harlequin Shopping Centre, Watford". Lighting Modern Buildings. Routledge. p. 192. ISBN   9781136387302.
  2. ↑ Miles, David. "Trewins sets up shop in Harlequin Centre". Watford Observer. Watford Observer. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  3. ↑ "Harlequin Centre, Watford". Shopping Centre. Archived from the original on 24 November 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  4. ↑ "The connected consumer – the future of shopping centres" (PDF) (Press release). Capital Shopping Centres Group. 17 January 2013. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 February 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  5. ↑ Smith, Matthew (2021-03-04). "Intu Watford announces brand new name and logo". HertsLive. Retrieved 2021-03-06.
  6. ↑ "Intu Watford announces brand new name and logo". 4 March 2021.
  7. ↑ Eade, Christine. "Intu plans to complete £100m revamp of its Watford centre by the end of 2017". Property Week. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  8. ↑ "WatfordQueen Work" (PDF). Watford. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  9. ↑ Companies House WebCheck service, retrieved 6 Jun 2016
  10. ↑ Intellectual Property Office ref O-346-04 - objection by HEL to the registration of a similar trade mark by Capital Shopping Centres plc
  11. ↑ John Cooper (15 September 2011). Watford Through Time. Amberley Publishing Limited. p. 128. ISBN   978-1-4456-3203-2.
  12. ↑ Crozier, David. "BR launches Operation Sparkle". Watford Observer. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  13. ↑ Johnson, Marc. "25 years after Clapham". Rail Engineer. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  14. ↑ Hayes-Griffin, J.; Collis, H. (1998). "Decriminalised parking in Watford". Highways and Transportation. 45 (5): 17–20. ISSN   0265-6868.
  15. ↑ "Intu exchanges on Charter Place shopping centre". Watford Borough Council. 24 April 2013. Archived from the original on 27 October 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  16. ↑ "Intu exchanges on Charter Place shopping centre". Watford Borough Council. 24 April 2013. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
  17. ↑ Wright, Mike (9 January 2014). "Politicians approve plans for £100m redevelopment of Charter Place". Watford Observer. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  18. ↑ Morby, Aaron (10 November 2015). "Laing O'Rourke replaces BAM on £110m Watford mall". Construction Enquirer. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  19. ↑ Ben, Stevens. "Debenhams launches Watford store with new beauty hall". Retail Gazette. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  20. ↑ Richard, Williams. "Intu extension puts Watford in the UK top 20 retail destinations". Property Week. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  21. ↑ Nazir, Sahar (27 August 2020). "Intu SGS secures £30m to take full control of 4 Intu centres". Retail Gazette. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  22. 1 2 "Atria Watford: How shopping centre's new name sparked a backlash". Watford Observer. Retrieved 2021-03-06.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.