A community is demanding action from the landlords of its ailing shopping centre, which has ‘lost its spirit’.
Winsford Town Mayor Mike Kennedy has blasted Winsford Cross Shopping Centre’s situation as ‘dire’ and wants to meet with Northern Irish landlords MAR Properties to discuss the precinct’s future.
He said: “Shops have been pulling out on a monthly basis.
Our residents see no action and no hope for the future with the shopping precinct.
“We need an honest assessment of ability to deliver some investment in the immediate future from MAR. This situation has dragged on for years.”
Cllr Kennedy suggested the solution lies in a ‘large cash injection’, a new design plan and units suitable for large retail outlets.
Plans to unveil a redesigned precinct were expected in October 2012 but were delayed.
One of the latest businesses to call time on its trading in the centre is Normandy Furnishings, heralding the end of an era for the store which opened its doors in 1985.
Manager Jim Kerr said they get ‘no passing trade any more’.
“I put it down to lack of investment by the owners,” he said.
“You would need a miracle now to bring this place back to life. It’s absolutely dead and it’s not fair on the people of the town.”
The shop’s owner Laurence Savory described his decision not to renew the lease as a ‘great relief’.
He said: “For about six years now, I haven’t made a profit. In fact, I am losing quite a lot of money on the property, which was not the case until the shops around me started to close.
“There are so many empty units, the centre is in a really sad condition. It has lost its spirit.
Mr Savory attributed the decline to high rents: “The landlords haven’t done anything to help me with rent. That centre just cannot command these kinds of rents any more. If they want to get businesses in, they need to reduce rents.”
Last month, Dorothy Perkins and Burton announced they would close in August, after 25 years.
Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) is also pushing Mar Properties to reveal their plans for the site.
A CWaC spokesperson said: “The Council is keen to ensure further investment in Winsford town centre and has been seeking clarity from MAR Properties regarding their plans.
“In recent discussions it has been made clear that, whilst progress has been hampered by very difficult market conditions, there is now a general improvement in economic conditions and retail sentiment.
“The company is currently developing proposals for future investment. The Council has asked to meet with MAR again soon to establish firm proposals for the centre and a programme for their delivery.”
Morgan McCandless, commercial director for MAR, pointed to difficult economic and trading conditions as a factor in the lack of new investment but has revealed that the company is in talks with several potential occupiers.
He said: “We have been working hard over the past number of years to attract new investment into Winsford Cross Shopping Centre, and more specifically Queens Parade.
“This process has been frustrated by the general decline in the retail sector, which is reflected in the ongoing difficulty in securing an anchor tenant for any such redevelopment.
“While some stores have closed within Winsford Cross Shopping Centre, perhaps also as a result of the challenging economic environment and typical of the trend nationally, it is important to recognise that new stores have also been opened at the centre.
“It is positive also to note that existing national occupiers have agreed terms to remain at Winsford Cross; however we have had to reduced rents considerably to retain them at the Centre, also typical of the trend nationally.
“As reported recently to Cheshire West and Chester Council, we are in regular discussions with a number of potential occupiers for Queens Parade and have committed to report any material positive progress in this regard.”
