Manchester Arndale

Manchester Arndale is a major enclosed shopping centre in central Manchester, England. It occupies a large area around Market Street, Corporation Street, High Street, Withy Grove and Cannon Street and forms part of the city’s principal retail district. The centre was developed during the post-war transformation of Manchester’s commercial core, when the city and other British local authorities sought to replace aging Victorian retail environments with modern shopping, transport and parking facilities. The scheme was promoted by the Arndale Property Trust and subsequently developed by Town & City Properties with financial support from the Prudential Assurance Company and Manchester Corporation. Planning discussions began in the 1960s, and a public inquiry into the major redevelopment proposal was held in 1968. The project involved extensive clearance and compulsory purchase of land north of Market Street. Its architects were Hugh Wilson and J. L. Womersley. The completed complex was built in stages from the early 1970s, with the first phase opening in 1975 and the principal elements completed by 1979. At opening, Manchester Arndale contained approximately 210 shops and more than 200 market stalls. The original development also incorporated a bus station, market facilities, car parking, flats, office accommodation and a network of internal malls and service roads. The building was conceived as a large, inward-looking retail complex, a design approach that attracted substantial criticism because of its scale, limited natural light and fortress-like exterior. Nevertheless, its location and connections to Manchester’s central streets made it an important retail destination. The centre underwent refurbishment during the 1980s and was later substantially redeveloped following the 1996 Manchester bombing, which caused extensive damage in the surrounding city centre. The post-bombing reconstruction formed part of the wider regeneration of central Manchester and improved the centre’s relationship with adjacent streets, public spaces and neighbouring department stores. Manchester Arndale is connected to Selfridges and Marks & Spencer by pedestrian links, although those department stores are treated separately from the centre’s stated retail floor area. The centre has just under 1.4 million square feet, or approximately 130,000 square metres, of retail space excluding the linked Selfridges and Marks & Spencer stores. It is widely described as the largest of the Arndale shopping centres developed in Britain during the 1960s and 1970s and as one of the largest shopping centres in the United Kingdom. Its role is that of a mass-market, high-footfall urban shopping destination serving Manchester residents, commuters, visitors and tourists. The centre’s offer combines fashion, beauty, food, services, specialist retail and market-style trading, while its central position gives it a wider civic and commercial importance than a conventional suburban mall.

Manchester Arndale emerged from post-war plans to renew Manchester’s central retail district. Market Street had been the city’s leading shopping street since the nineteenth century, but by the 1960s Manchester faced stronger competition from reorganised town centres elsewhere in the conurbation. City planners and developers argued that the existing network of older streets, courts and buildings could not provide the scale, access and facilities expected by modern retailers. The Arndale Property Trust, established in the early 1950s by Arnold Hagenbach and Sam Chippindale, had acquired property north of Market Street in 1952. The trust was acquired by Town & City Properties in 1968. A major scheme bounded broadly by Market Street, Corporation Street, Withy Grove and High Street was examined at a public inquiry beginning in June 1968. The proposal was approved after the inquiry, and Manchester Corporation used compulsory purchase powers to assemble additional land, including property connected with the former Manchester Guardian offices. The architects, Hugh Wilson and J. L. Womersley, designed a very large enclosed complex containing shops, malls, a bus station, a market, parking, flats and supporting commercial facilities. The brief was shaped heavily by the developers and the corporation. Requirements included transport infrastructure, parking, future deck access and the retention of important street connections. The architects’ more open and naturally lit ideas were not adopted, producing an introverted building that was later criticised for its bulk and appearance. Construction began in 1972. The Arndale Tower and an initial group of shops opened in September 1976, followed by Knightsbridge Mall over Market Street in 1977. Further malls, the market hall, Boots and additional pedestrian links opened in 1978, while the bus station and major anchor stores opened in 1979. The centre contained around 210 shops and more than 200 market stalls at completion. The scheme’s cost increased dramatically from early estimates, creating financing difficulties for the development companies and requiring a complex partnership involving Town & City Properties, Prudential and Manchester Corporation. The finished centre attracted strong architectural criticism. Its closed exterior, large scale and limited daylight were seen by some observers as an example of the problems associated with comprehensive post-war redevelopment. Its internal public art included Franta Belsky’s tall sculpture Totem, installed in 1977 and later removed during refurbishment. Despite criticism, the centre became a powerful retail anchor because of its size, central location, links to surrounding streets and integration with Manchester’s transport and commercial network. Refurbishment took place in the 1980s. The 1996 Manchester bombing caused extensive damage in the city centre and led to a major programme of reconstruction. Manchester Arndale was repaired and redeveloped within that wider regeneration effort. The rebuilt environment improved connections between the centre and adjacent public streets and helped consolidate Manchester’s position as a regional retail destination. The centre remains active and is connected by pedestrian bridges to Selfridges and Marks & Spencer, while its own retail accommodation is generally reported at just under 1.4 million square feet.

• 1996

  Post-bombing redevelopment

  [1]Manchester Arndaleen.wikipedia.org

  The centre was repaired and redeveloped after the Manchester bombing as part of the regeneration of the city centre.

• 1979

  Main construction programme completed

  [1]Manchester Arndaleen.wikipedia.org

  The bus station and principal anchor stores opened, completing the original staged development.

• 1978

  Market hall and Boots facilities open

  [1]Manchester Arndaleen.wikipedia.org

  The market hall, Boots accommodation and a further bridge connection opened.

• 1977

  Knightsbridge Mall opens

  [1]Manchester Arndaleen.wikipedia.org

  The pedestrian mall crossing Market Street opened, strengthening links between the centre’s southern sections.

• 1976

  Arndale Tower and initial shops open

  [1]Manchester Arndaleen.wikipedia.org

  The tower and approximately 60 shops opened as the centre continued its staged launch.

• 1975

  First phase opens

  [1]Manchester Arndaleen.wikipedia.org

  The first phase of Manchester Arndale opened to shoppers.

• 1972

  Construction begins

  [1]Manchester Arndaleen.wikipedia.org

  Building work started on the large enclosed retail and transport complex.

• 1968

  Town & City Properties acquires Arndale Property Trust

  [1]Manchester Arndaleen.wikipedia.org

  The development company took control of the property trust, and a public inquiry into the proposed centre began in June.

• 1965

  Large-scale shopping-centre plan prepared

  [1]Manchester Arndaleen.wikipedia.org

  A major scheme was formulated for the area bounded by Market Street, Corporation Street, Withy Grove and High Street.

• 1952

  Arndale acquires property north of Market Street

  [1]Manchester Arndaleen.wikipedia.org

  The Arndale Property Trust acquired land and premises in the area later used for the Manchester shopping-centre scheme.

High-footfall, mass-market city-centre shopping and services destination in Manchester.

• Urban shopping centre · 1975

  Manchester Arndale shopping centre

  The core offering is a large enclosed city-centre retail environment with shops, malls, market areas, food and drink venues, services and pedestrian links to nearby commercial destinations. Its tenant mix is oriented toward broad everyday shopping and high-footfall urban visits rather than a single specialist category.

• Market retail · 1978

  Manchester Arndale Market

  The development included a market component from its staged opening. Market-style accommodation broadened the centre beyond conventional chain retail and provided space for varied merchandise, food and smaller traders within the wider shopping complex.

• 1996

  Redevelop after the Manchester bombingStrategy

  Background

  The 1996 bombing damaged the centre and neighbouring parts of central Manchester.

  Action taken

  Manchester Arndale was repaired and incorporated into the broader reconstruction and regeneration programme for the city centre.

  Aftermath

  The rebuilt retail environment became part of a renewed central Manchester commercial district with improved connections to surrounding streets and department stores.

  Source

• 1972

  Begin construction of the Manchester Arndale complexOther

  Background

  Planning approval and land assembly enabled the multi-phase project to proceed.

  Action taken

  Construction began on the enclosed centre, associated transport facilities, parking and pedestrian infrastructure.

  Aftermath

  Opening was staged from 1975 through 1979, with costs rising substantially during development.

  Source

• 1965

  Adopt a comprehensive city-centre redevelopment schemeStrategy

  Background

  Manchester sought to strengthen its regional retail role as surrounding towns modernised their shopping areas and the existing central retail fabric was considered inadequate for contemporary requirements.

  Action taken

  The city and developers advanced a large enclosed shopping centre incorporating retail, market, transport and parking functions.

  Aftermath

  The decision produced one of Britain’s largest urban shopping complexes and substantially changed the physical form of the area north of Market Street.

  Source

1. 1Manchester Arndaleen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Manchester Arndale official websitemanchesterarndale.com