Springfields Outlet Shopping & Leisure

Last updated
Springfields
Logo of Springfields Outlet Shopping Centre.png
Springfields Birds Eye View.jpg
An aerial view of Springfields in 2018
Springfields Outlet Shopping & Leisure
Location Spalding, Lincolnshire, England
Coordinates 52°47′57″N0°07′39″W / 52.79920°N 0.12755°W / 52.79920; -0.12755
AddressSpringfields Outlet Centre, Camel Gate, Spalding PE12 6EU
Opening date1 May 2004
DeveloperThornfield Properties
ManagementSLR Outlets Limited
OwnerUBS Triton Property Fund
No. of stores and services55
Total retail floor area 200,000 sq ft
Parking1,400 spaces
Public transit access National Rail logo.svg Spalding
37, 301, 505 and B3X bus routes
Website Official Website

Springfields Outlet Shopping & Leisure is a major outlet centre in Spalding, Lincolnshire.

Contents

Located off the A16, it is the only outlet destination in the county, with 55 stores and 25 acres of free entry Festival Gardens, open 364 days a year. Springfields is the leading shopping and leisure destination in the East of England, attracting around 2.3 million visitors per year. [1]

Stores

As of 2024, the mall had 55 stores across its 45 acre site. [2] Outlet brands at Springfields include Marks & Spencer, Joules, Skechers, Radley, Next Outlet, Levi's, Jack Wills and Clarks. [3] Places to eat include Costa Coffee, Caffe Nero and The Parlour, an Edwardian formal-style restaurant operated by Blue Diamond. [4] The Festival Gardens feature free-to-enter Chelsea-style gardens, with designs by renowned horticultural designers and celebrities. These include Jungle Island by Charlie Dimmock, Sculpture Matrix by Chris Beardshaw, and A Lifetime Ahead by singer Kim Wilde.

Springfields is also home to Adventure Land, home to attractions for the family including a suspended sky net, treetop village, adventure golf and a miniature railway. The Spalding Water Taxi initiative connects Springfields to the local town centre. This transports thousands of visitors every year. [5]

Springfields hosts events and activities throughout the year including Easter Egg hunts, Garden Trails, a Fireworks & Music Spectacular, and a Winter Wonderland Walk.

Garden History

During the 1920s, millions of visitors came by train, coach and car to tour the special tulip routes in the Spalding area, which has established itself as the centre of the British flower bulb industry. As such in 1959, over 200,000 people attended the first Spalding Tulip Parade. [6]

Springfields' Gardens were opened to the public in 1966 for the first time. A charity organisation, Springfields Horticultural Society, was formed to manage the gardens which raised public awareness about the growing and cultivation of flowers from bulbs, and the broader social benefits of horticulture and gardening as a means of relaxation and enjoyment.

After decades of popularity, public interest in the Gardens began to wane, and maintenance of the gardens became difficult to sustain, even for the short 8-week spring flower season.

Princess Anne during a royal visit to Springfields Princess Anne during a royal visit to Springfields.jpg
Princess Anne during a royal visit to Springfields

Several ideas were considered for funding new investment into the gardens, and eventually a plan was agreed upon with development partner Thornfield Properties, seeing the first Outlet Village in Lincolnshire being approved. [7] Sheffield-based entrepreneur Ian Sanderson oversaw the project and remains to this day the developer, asset manager and centre director of Springfields. [8]

Construction was soon well underway in 2003 on what would become Phase One of Springfields by Interserve Contractors. Structures started rising on North, West and East Avenues, as well as Camelgate.

Centre Opening

Springfields Outlet Shopping officially opened to huge crowds on 1st May 2004, with shops including M&S Outlet and the Home & Garden Centre. Anne, Princess Royal paid a royal visit and planted a tree within the Festival Gardens, following in the footsteps of the Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother who planted a tree several decades earlier.

Due to the ongoing popularity and success of Springfields, an extension (South Avenue) was built in 2008, adding further brands including Gap Outlet. A new 43-bedroom Travelodge hotel was introduced. [9]

In 2018, further investment was made with the addition of Adventure Land, opened by Samia Ghadie. [10] This activity park is home to 10 attractions including the largest JCB Young Drivers Zone in the UK. [11]

Future plans include a Phase 3. Planning permission has been fully consented for a 50,000 sq ft extension that will add approximately 15 new stores and restaurants. This will create up to 350 new jobs for Spalding, adding to the 650 jobs as of 2024. [12]

Springfields is located in Spalding, at the junction of the A16 and A151. The nearest rail connection is Spalding railway station, around 20 minutes from Peterborough. Multiple bus links service the centre including the 37, 301, 505 and B3X. [13]

Related Research Articles

<i>Erythronium</i> Genus of flowering plants

Erythronium, the fawn lily, trout lily, dog's-tooth violet or adder's tongue, is a genus of Eurasian and North American plants in the lily family, most closely related to tulips. The name Erythronium derives from Ancient Greek ἐρυθρός (eruthrós) "red" in Greek, referring to the red flowers of E. dens-canis. Of all the established species, most live in North America; only six species are found in Europe and Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spalding, Lincolnshire</span> Market town in Lincolnshire, England

Spalding is a market town on the River Welland in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. The town had a population of 34,113 at the 2017 census. The town is the administrative centre of the South Holland District. The town is located between the cities of Peterborough and Lincoln, as well as the towns of Bourne, Market Deeping, March, Boston, Wisbech, Holbeach and Sleaford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tulip festival</span> Large display of tulips as a celebration

Tulip festivals are held in several cities around the world, mostly in North America, usually in cities with a Dutch heritage such as Albany, New York; Ottawa, Ontario; Gatineau, Quebec; Montreal, Quebec; Holland, Michigan; Lehi, Utah; Orange City, Iowa; Pella, Iowa; Mount Vernon, Washington; and Woodburn, Oregon, and in other countries such as New Zealand, Australia, India, and England. The tulips are considered a welcome harbinger of spring, and a tulip festival permits residents to see them at their best advantage. The festivals are also popular tourist attractions. The tulips are displayed throughout the cities. In certain years the peak of tulips does not coincide with the actual festival due to climatic conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Floristry</span> Production, commerce and trade in flowers

Floristry is the production, commerce, and trade in flowers. It encompasses flower care and handling, floral design and arrangement, merchandising, production, display and flower delivery. Wholesale florists sell bulk flowers and related supplies to professionals in the trade. Retail florists offer fresh flowers and related products and services to consumers. The first flower shop in the United States opened prior to 1851.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garden centre</span> Retailer

A garden centre is a retail operation that sells plants and related products for the domestic garden as its primary business.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Market Deeping</span> Town in Lincolnshire, England

Market Deeping is a market town and civil parish in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England, on the north bank of the River Welland and the A15 road. The population of the town at the 2011 census was 6,008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holbeach</span> Market town in Lincolnshire, England

Holbeach is a market town and civil parish in the South Holland District in Lincolnshire, England. The town lies 8 miles (13 km) from Spalding; 17 miles (27 km) from Boston; 20 miles (32 km) from King's Lynn; 23 miles (37 km) from Peterborough; and 43 miles (69 km) by road from Lincoln. It is on the junction of the A151 and A17.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keukenhof</span> Flower garden in the Netherlands

Keukenhof, also known as the Garden of Europe, is one of the world's largest flower gardens, situated in the municipality of Lisse, in the Netherlands. According to the official website, Keukenhof Park covers an area of 32 hectares and approximately 7 million flower bulbs are planted in the gardens annually. While it is widely known for its tulips, Keukenhof also features numerous other flowers, including hyacinths, daffodils, lilies, roses, carnations and irises.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruskington</span> Village in Lincolnshire, England

Ruskington is a village and civil parish in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England, located approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Sleaford on the north–south B1188 road and slightly north of the A153 road. The village contains approximately 2,200 dwellings and is approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) in length, measured from east to west. The population of the civil parish was 5,169 at the 2001 census, increasing to 5,637 at the 2011 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sutterton</span> Village and civil parish in Lincolnshire, England

Sutterton is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Boston in Lincolnshire, England. The population of the parish at the 2011 census was 1,585.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirton, Lincolnshire</span> English village in the Borough of Boston, Lincolnshire, England

Kirton or Kirton in Holland is an English village and civil parish in the Borough of Boston, Lincolnshire. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 5,371.

<i>Tulipa turkestanica</i> Species of flowering plant

Tulipa turkestanica, the Turkestan tulip, is a species of tulip native to Central Asia. It was first described by Eduard August von Regel in 1873 as a variety of T. sylvestris, then elevated to full species status two years later.

<i>Narcissus pseudonarcissus</i> Species of plant

Narcissus pseudonarcissus, commonly named the wild daffodil or Lent lily, is a perennial flowering plant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surfleet</span> Village in Lincolnshire, England

Surfleet is a small village and civil parish in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated on the B1356 road, 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Spalding, in the Lincolnshire fens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tulip Radio</span> Local community radio station covering the area of Spalding, Lincolnshire, England

Tulip Radio was the local community radio station covering the area of Spalding, Lincolnshire, England. The name was linked to Spalding's heavy involvement with the horticulture industry. The town was famous for its tulips, and used to host an annual Flower Parade every May. The station had a float in the Spalding Flower Parade. Founded in 2001 as 'Tulip FM', and renaming in 2006 to Tulip Radio, in April 2008 the station was awarded an initial 5-year full-time community radio licence by Ofcom, the UK Media regulator. The station commenced full-time broadcasting on 12 June 2009. Amongst its most successful slots were the morning programme, hosted by Chris Carter, once of Capital Radio, the gardening show at weekends and a Seventies Show with local broadcaster Adrian Lazell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duin- en Bollenstreek</span>

The Duin- en Bollenstreek is a region in the Western Netherlands, that features coastal dunes and the cultivation of flower bulbs. Situated at the heart of historical Holland nearby the city of Leiden, South Holland, it is bordered by The Hague to the west and Haarlem to the north. The combination of beaches, flower fields, lakes and history makes this area attractive to tourists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tulip</span> Genus of plants

Tulips are spring-blooming perennial herbaceous bulbiferous geophytes in the Tulipa genus. Tulip flowers are usually large, showy, and brightly coloured, generally red, orange, pink, yellow, or white. They often have a different coloured blotch at the base of the tepals, internally. Because of a degree of variability within the populations and a long history of cultivation, classification has been complex and controversial. The tulip is a member of the lily family, Liliaceae, along with 14 other genera, where it is most closely related to Amana, Erythronium, and Gagea in the tribe Lilieae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skagit Valley Tulip Festival</span> Annual tulip festival in Washington, United States

The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is a tulip festival in the Skagit Valley of Washington state, United States. It is held annually in the spring, April 1 to April 30.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden</span> Garden in Srinagar, India

Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip garden, previously Model Floriculture Center, is a tulip garden in Srinagar, in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is the largest tulip garden in Asia spread over an area of about 30 ha. It is situated at the base of the Zabarwan range, built on a sloping ground in a terraced fashion consisting of seven terraces with an overview of the Dal Lake. The garden was opened in 2007 with the aim to boost floriculture and tourism in the Kashmir Valley. It was formerly known as Siraj Bagh. About 1.7 million tulip bulbs, all in multiple colours, were brought Keukenhof tulip gardens of Amsterdam. Besides tulips, there are 46 varieties of flowers, including hyacinths, daffodils and ranunculus which were also brought from Holland. The tulip garden is home to around 73 varieties of tulips.

References

  1. "Springfields Forward – Lincolnshire Pride" . Retrieved 2024-05-01.
  2. "SPRINGFIELDS OUTLET SHOPPING AND LEISURE – Space".
  3. "Top Brands at Springfields Outlet Shopping". Springfields. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  4. "Food & Drink | Springfields Outlet Shopping & Leisure". Springfields. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
  5. "You could be first to take water taxi - and travel for free". LincsOnline. 2023-03-28. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
  6. "History | Spalding Flower Parade". SpaldingFlowerParade. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
  7. Voyce, Michael. "Record lets at Spalding as Springfields blooms". Retail Week. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  8. "Discovering Springfields Outlet Centre in East Anglia". 2019-10-03. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
  9. "SPRINGFIELDS OUTLET & SHOPPING CENTRE". Watson Batty Architects. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  10. Cassidy, Tom. "Springfields Adventure Land to open with a weekend of family fun". The Voice. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  11. "JCB Driving Experiences | Tractor & Digger Driving | JCB Explore". 2020-09-08. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
  12. "Another great year - and phase 3 coming next". LincsOnline. 2022-01-13. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
  13. "How to find us". springfieldsoutlet.co.uk. Retrieved 16 May 2024.