Whitefriars Shopping Centre
A major shopping centre in central Canterbury, Kent, incorporating retail streets, squares, an arcade, department stores, food outlets and a multi-storey car park.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Whitefriars Shopping Centre is a shopping complex in the centre of Canterbury, Kent, England. It forms part of the city's principal retail area and is positioned close to Canterbury Bus Station. Rather than being a single enclosed mall, Whitefriars combines mainly two-storey retail buildings, sections of the older high street, open pedestrian squares, smaller streets and the covered Marlowe Arcade, which contains more specialised shops. Some stores occupy three floors, and the centre is connected by lifts and pedestrian bridges to associated buildings and parking facilities. The present retail development occupies a site that previously contained a multi-storey car park and the Ricemans department store. Those buildings were demolished as part of redevelopment, after which a new multi-storey car park and a Fenwick department store were constructed. Archaeological investigation preceded the construction work. Canterbury Archaeological Trust excavated the site and recovered predominantly Roman and medieval material. The excavation was also featured on Channel 4's archaeological television programme Time Team during the period from 2000 to 2003, bringing public attention to the historic layers beneath the modern retail district. The centre's layout is organised around named public spaces including Rose Square, Clocktower Square and Whitefriars Square. A multi-storey car park shares a block with Tesco, while bridges provide connections between the car park, Primark and Marks & Spencer. Fenwick functions as a major department-store anchor, and the wider centre includes fashion, grocery, department-store, hospitality and convenience retail. Public toilets and customer facilities are available in or near several major stores and food-service premises, including Fenwick, Eat, Caffè Nero, Costa Coffee and Marks & Spencer. The Marlowe Arcade is architecturally distinct because it is the only part of the centre with a full roof. Its name refers to the former theatre on the site. The original theatre opened shortly before the First World War, became the Central Picture Cinema in the 1920s, and reopened in 1949 as the first Marlowe Theatre. It initially supported amateur dramatics before moving toward repertory theatre. Financial difficulties led to its demolition in 1982. In late 2012, a proposal was announced to rename the arcade Whitefriars Arcade. The proposal attracted criticism from some local residents, reflecting the area's continuing connection with the former theatre and its name. Whitefriars therefore represents both a modern retail destination and a redevelopment layered over significant archaeological and theatrical history. Its principal role is local and regional shopping, supported by public transport access, parking, department stores, food outlets and a mixed open-air and covered pedestrian environment.
History
Whitefriars was developed on a site in central Canterbury previously occupied by a multi-storey car park and the Ricemans department store. Redevelopment involved demolishing those structures and constructing a new multi-storey car park together with a Fenwick department store and the wider retail quarter. The resulting complex was designed as a mixed shopping environment rather than a fully enclosed mall: most shops are arranged over two floors, some extend to three floors, and the pedestrian plan includes squares, smaller streets, an arcade and portions of the older high street. The construction programme was preceded by archaeological excavation undertaken by Canterbury Archaeological Trust. The site contained evidence from the Roman and medieval periods, and the excavation attracted wider public interest through its appearance on Channel 4's Time Team television programme during the period from 2000 to 2003. This archaeological background is an important part of Whitefriars' history because the modern shopping development overlays a site with substantial earlier occupation. The Marlowe Arcade occupies the location of a former entertainment venue. A theatre opened there shortly before the First World War. During the 1920s it was converted into the Central Picture Cinema, and in 1949 it reopened as the first Marlowe Theatre. The theatre was initially associated with amateur dramatics and later repertory productions. Financial difficulties in 1981 preceded its demolition in 1982. The later retail arcade preserved the location's role as a pedestrian and commercial passage, although its function changed from theatre and cinema to specialist shopping. Whitefriars is arranged around Rose Square, Clocktower Square and Whitefriars Square, with the Marlowe Arcade providing the centre's only fully roofed arcade. The retail offer includes major stores such as Fenwick, Tesco, Primark and Marks & Spencer, alongside specialist shops and food outlets. The car park is integrated into the same block as Tesco, and bridges link it with Primark and Marks & Spencer. The centre is adjacent to Canterbury Bus Station, giving it a strong public-transport connection. In late 2012, the proposed renaming of Marlowe Arcade as Whitefriars Arcade generated local criticism. The response illustrated the continuing importance of the Marlowe name and the site's theatrical past within Canterbury's civic memory. Whitefriars consequently combines modern retail infrastructure with archaeological heritage, former entertainment uses and the historic urban fabric of the city centre.
- 2012
Marlowe Arcade renaming announced
[1]A proposal was announced to rename the arcade Whitefriars Arcade, a move that received criticism from some local residents.
- 2000
Archaeological work featured on Time Team
[1]Archaeological excavation connected with the shopping-centre development was featured on Channel 4's Time Team programme.
- 1982
Marlowe Theatre demolished
[1]The former theatre building was demolished.
- 1981
Financial difficulties affect the Marlowe Theatre
[1]The theatre experienced financial difficulties, preceding the closure and demolition of the building.
- 1949
First Marlowe Theatre reopens
[1]The venue reopened as the first Marlowe Theatre, initially supporting amateur dramatics and later repertory theatre.
- 1920
Theatre converted into Central Picture Cinema
[1]The theatre was converted for cinema use and became known as the Central Picture Cinema.
Theatre opens on the future Marlowe Arcade site
[1]A theatre opened on the site later occupied by the Marlowe Arcade, establishing its early twentieth-century association with public entertainment.
Products and positioning
A central Canterbury shopping destination combining major national retailers, department stores, specialist shops, cafés and pedestrian public spaces with convenient access to the city's bus station and on-site parking.
Product categories. Fashion and apparel · Department-store merchandise · Grocery and everyday retail · Beauty and personal-care products · Specialist retail goods · Cafés, takeaway food and refreshments
Brand decisions
2012
Proposal to rename Marlowe ArcadeOtherBackground
The covered arcade retained the name Marlowe, linking it to the former theatre and cinema on the site. In late 2012, a renaming proposal was announced.
Action taken
The proposed new name was Whitefriars Arcade.
Aftermath
Some local residents criticised the proposal, reflecting attachment to the site's Marlowe Theatre heritage. The available reference does not establish the final implementation status.
Sources2 sources
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