The Forge Shopping Centre
A shopping centre and retail destination in Parkhead, in the East End of Glasgow, Scotland.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Forge Shopping Centre, also known as Parkhead Forge, is a retail and leisure destination in Parkhead in the East End of Glasgow, Scotland. Its identity is closely associated with the industrial history of the surrounding area, particularly the former William Beardmore and Company steelworks whose Parkhead Forge plant closed in 1983. The centre was developed as part of the Glasgow Eastern Area Renewal scheme, commonly known as GEAR, an urban regeneration programme established in 1976 to stimulate investment and redevelopment in Glasgow's eastern districts. The scheme identified areas with development potential and envisaged a new shopping centre as one of the principal replacements for the closed industrial site. Construction began in 1986, and The Forge opened to the public on 10 October 1988. Its initial development included a supermarket, a multiplex cinema and at least 40 retail units. Gateway operated the principal supermarket anchor at launch and was described at the time as having the largest supermarket in Scotland. The supermarket changed to Asda in the early 1990s, and Asda has remained a major anchor tenant. The centre's main entrances on Duke Street and Gallowgate are marked by distinctive glass pyramid structures, which became notable architectural features of the complex. The Forge expanded during the mid-1990s. This phase added an indoor market and bingo hall to the east of the original development. A separate retail-park operation was established to the west, partly over the historic Camlachie neighbourhood. That retail park was enlarged in the early twenty-first century and gained substantial-format stores including B&Q and Tesco. The wider destination therefore developed beyond a conventional enclosed shopping centre, combining mall retail, supermarket shopping, leisure, and large-format retail uses. Later changes included an extension intended to accommodate a new department store, followed by investment in remodelling and modernisation. Works described for the centre included a replacement or upgraded ceiling and new floor tiling, particularly around the area near the Dunnes Stores and Primark exit. Primark and Asda have been identified as key anchor stores, while the centre has also hosted a range of fashion, food, convenience and service retailers. A Cineworld multiplex operated on the site until its closure in 2024 as part of the cinema company's restructuring. In 2025, Pure Padel announced plans to convert the former cinema unit into padel courts, representing a shift from cinema-based leisure toward sports and active recreation. A McDonald's drive-through is also located near the centre's car park. The Forge's significance is consequently both commercial and historical. It occupies a former major industrial location and was conceived as part of a public-sector-led regeneration effort, while its later extensions and retail-park elements have made it a broader shopping and leisure destination for Glasgow's East End and surrounding communities. Ownership, corporate structure, financial performance and current management are not identified in the supplied reference material.
History
The Forge Shopping Centre was created as part of Glasgow's Eastern Area Renewal scheme, or GEAR, an urban regeneration initiative established in 1976. The programme sought to redevelop parts of Glasgow's East End by concentrating investment in areas considered to have development potential. One of its central proposals was a new shopping centre serving the local population and replacing some of the economic activity lost when the Parkhead Forge works of William Beardmore and Company closed in 1983. The centre's name preserves the area's industrial association. The former Beardmore steelworks had been a major local employer, and the closure left a substantial redevelopment challenge. Work on the retail project began in 1986. The first phase opened to the public on 10 October 1988, with a supermarket, a multiplex cinema and at least 40 shops. Gateway was the original principal supermarket tenant and was regarded at the time as operating Scotland's largest supermarket. In or around early 1990, the supermarket operation changed to Asda, which continued as a principal anchor in the centre. The original building was given a distinctive visual identity by pyramid-shaped glazed structures at its main Duke Street and Gallowgate entrances. These features helped mark the development as a modern regeneration project while retaining the historical reference conveyed by the Forge name. A second development phase took place during the mid-1990s. It added an indoor market and bingo hall on the eastern side of the original centre. To the west, a separate retail-park operation was developed, including land built over part of the historic Camlachie neighbourhood. The retail park expanded during the early years of the twenty-first century, adding large-format B&Q and Tesco stores and broadening the destination's offer beyond enclosed shopping-centre retail. Further expansion subsequently created space for a department store. The centre also entered a period of refurbishment and modernisation, including works to the ceiling and floor finishes. Areas near the Dunnes Stores and Primark exit were identified as parts of the centre where renovation work could be seen. Primark and Asda became the principal named anchor stores in the centre's later retail mix, supported by smaller shops, food outlets and services. Leisure provision has changed over time. Cineworld operated a multiplex at The Forge until the location closed in 2024 during the cinema group's restructuring. In 2025, Pure Padel announced plans to introduce padel courts in the former cinema unit. This proposed reuse illustrates the continuing adaptation of the complex as consumer habits and leisure formats change. A McDonald's drive-through also operates in the vicinity of the car park. The Forge therefore represents a long-running regeneration-led commercial development rather than only a collection of shops. Its current identity combines a historic industrial reference, an enclosed shopping centre, a connected retail park and changing leisure facilities. The supplied references do not establish its owner, operator, financial results, website, or management team.
- 2025
Pure Padel announces new use for former cinema unit
[1]Pure Padel announced plans to open padel courts in the unit previously occupied by Cineworld.
- 2024
Cineworld location closes
[1]The Cineworld multiplex at the centre closed during Cineworld's restructuring.
- 1990
Gateway supermarket changes to Asda
[1]The original Gateway supermarket anchor was replaced by Asda, which remained a major anchor tenant thereafter.
- 1990
Mid-1990s expansion planned and delivered
[1]A later phase added an indoor market and bingo hall, while a separate western retail park was developed and subsequently expanded.
- 1988
The Forge opens
[1]The centre opened to the public on 10 October with a supermarket, multiplex cinema and at least 40 retail units.
- 1986
Construction begins
[1]Construction of the new shopping centre began as part of the GEAR regeneration programme.
- 1983
Parkhead Forge steelworks closes
[1]The William Beardmore and Company steelworks associated with the site's name closed, creating the industrial redevelopment context for the later shopping centre.
- 1976
GEAR regeneration scheme established
[1]The Glasgow Eastern Area Renewal scheme was established to promote redevelopment in Glasgow's East End, including a proposed shopping centre for the Parkhead area.
Products and positioning
A community-oriented East Glasgow shopping and leisure destination rooted in the regeneration of a former steelworks site, combining enclosed-centre retail, anchor stores, large-format retail, food services and evolving leisure uses.
Shopping centre · 1988
The Forge Shopping Centre
The principal enclosed retail complex in Parkhead, offering a mixture of fashion, general merchandise, food, convenience and service units. It opened in 1988 as a regeneration project connected to the former Beardmore steelworks site and includes distinctive glass pyramid features at its Duke Street and Gallowgate entrances.
Retail park
The Forge Retail Park
The western retail-park element associated with the wider Forge destination developed separately from the original centre. It was expanded in the early twenty-first century and incorporated large-format retailers including B&Q and Tesco.
Leisure venue · 1988
Former Cineworld multiplex unit
A multiplex cinema operated at The Forge for many years under the Cineworld brand. The location closed in 2024 during Cineworld's restructuring, after which Pure Padel announced plans to convert the unit into padel courts.
Brand decisions
2025
Planned conversion of former cinema into padel venueProduct launchBackground
The closure of the Cineworld unit created space for a new leisure concept.
Action taken
Pure Padel announced plans to open padel courts in the former cinema premises.
Aftermath
The announcement indicated a shift in the centre's leisure offer from multiplex cinema toward racket sports and active recreation.
2024
Cineworld closes its Forge locationStrategyBackground
The centre's multiplex cinema was operated by Cineworld.
Action taken
Cineworld closed the location as part of its wider restructuring.
Aftermath
The vacant cinema unit was subsequently identified for a different leisure use.
1990
Supermarket anchor changes from Gateway to AsdaStrategyBackground
Gateway was the principal supermarket tenant when The Forge opened in 1988.
Action taken
The supermarket operation changed to Asda in or around early 1990.
Aftermath
Asda remained a major anchor tenant at the centre in subsequent descriptions.
Recent events
- 2025
Pure Padel announces planned conversion of former cinema unit[1]
Product launch
Pure Padel announced plans to open padel courts in the unit formerly occupied by the Cineworld cinema, presenting a new sports and recreation use for the space.
- 2024
Cineworld closes its Forge Shopping Centre location[1]
Other
The Cineworld multiplex at The Forge Shopping Centre closed in 2024 as part of Cineworld's broader restructuring programme.
Sources1 sources
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