The Decline of Department Stores and the Future Development of Banbury
Banbury town centre has a variety of shops, from the high street to the shopping centre it offers different shopping experiences to suit a variety of people’s needs. It also has a regular market which is open on Thursdays and Saturdays, though this has decreased in size over the years.
British Home Stores
A staple of the town centre was their chain department stores, Debenhams and British Home Stores. British Home Stores had been part of the Castle Quay Shopping Centre since it opened in the 1970s, although it sadly closed in 2016. The department store brought in shoppers from out of town, and was a much loved shop in the shopping centre. Many members of the community have fond memories of British Home Stores, Rachel Mason remembers using the café to meet up with members of the post-natal group she attended eighteen years ago when her daughter was a baby. The store helped bring together the community and people often frequented the café to catch up with friends and family. The closure of the store in 2016 came as a shock to many, and an interview with Yvonne Davies highlights the impact and influence the shop had on people’s experiences in the town. Many of the townsfolk remember the closure of British Home Stores, and remark that it was a shame to lose it from the shopping centre. The closure of the store was sad for many, especially the staff working in the store. Amie Louise Bartlett, former staff member, expressed that being told of the closure was devastating, especially as the staff were like family.
Debenhams
Another of Banbury’s department stores is Debenhams, but its closure was announced in December 2020. The chain had struggled many times over the years, after going into administration twice. The Banbury store remained safe, until the pandemic finally broke the chain and they set to close all Debenhams stores across the country. The date of closure has not yet been finalised, but closing down signs hang in the store windows. Banbury resident Matt Reynolds states that the department stores ‘never moved with the times,’ which is also backed up by a BBC report, which says ‘it became irrelevant’ as it struggled to keep up with fashion trends. The department store brought in shoppers to Castle Quay, and its decline will in no doubt impact the number of people in the town centre. This was also evident with the loss of British Home Stores, and the town is now working on developments to keep people trading in the town centre.
Lock29
After the closure of British Home Stores in 2016, the space it once occupied remained empty until a new food and drink venue, Lock29 opened in August 2020. Plans for Lock 29 were first revealed on 27th June 2019, and Councillor Tony Illott, lead member for financial management and government at Cherwell District Council, owners Castle Quay, said in a Banbury Guardian report: “Lock29 marks the next step in a new chapter for Banbury town centre.” The space is marketed as “a unique destination that brings Banbury’s history into an exciting new venue, offering an experience like no other.” After much anticipation in the year between its announcement and the opening, the people of Banbury had very different views about the new development. Although it offers new trading opportunities for vendors, the people of Banbury are sceptical of its influence on the town. Banbury resident Chris Robinson believes that Lock29 is a “white elephant” and not much use to the town. He states “I know lockdowns haven’t helped the businesses but I still see this as money being thrown at it for the sake of it.” This view is countered though, as Aimee Crump believes it has more to offer and it is refreshing and new, different to other shopping centres.
Castle Quay 2- is it beneficial to the town?
To further boost footfall in the town centre, the council began construction work on Castle Quay 2, an extension of the existing shopping centre. This new development will include a hotel, a new cinema and a supermarket, as well as offering more car parking spaces in the town centre. The hope for this development is to attract visitors and residents to the heart of the town. Work for Castle Quay 2 began in 2019, and is hoped to be finished by March 2021, as building continues throughout the Coronavirus pandemic. As with Lock29, town members seem to be apprehensive, as Matt Hodgson thinks “money would have been better invested in the High Street.” While he believes that the development will not encourage people into the town centre, he does hope to be proved wrong. Not all feedback is negative though, as former Banbury resident Frances Hendry is “really looking forward to Castle Quay 2 being finished and opening, especially the hotel.” As someone who lives out of town, Frances Hendry is excited to have somewhere close to the railway station to stay, since the main hotel in Banbury currently is by the motorway and a fair distance from the town centre.
Is the decline of department stores really to blame for the lack of trade in the town centre?
Banbury town centre was once a hotspot for shopping for town residents. With a regular market, a bustling high street and varied shopping centre, it was the centre of trade for the town. However, it appears that other developments, such as the newest retail park, Banbury Gateway, have diverted trade and led to the eventual decline of the town centre. Offering free parking and now more shops, people are more inclined to shop in the retail parks than pay parking for a dismal array of shops in the town centre. As the town frantically tries to bring people back to the town centre, the people remain apprehensive and believe money would have been better invested elsewhere in the town, such as the high street. The new Lock29 has many critics, though the developers hope it will provide something for “the whole of Banbury and beyond,” with the hope of eventually bringing more people into the town centre. The development of Castle Quay 2 is also hoping to bring in more people to the town centre, but with a depleting market and a shopping centre full of vacant shops, is it worth starting something new before fixing the problems that are there already?
Sources Used and Further Reading
Matt Elofson, “New Banbury food and drink venue set to open this weekend at Castle Quay,” The Banbury Guardian, 25th August 2020. https://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/business/new-banbury-food-and-drink-venue-set-open-weekend-castle-quay-2952523
Stuart Prestidge, “Banbury’s Castle Quay Development to Breathe New Life Into Canal Side,” The Banbury Guardian, 27th June 2019. https://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/news/people/exclusive-banburys-castle-quay-development-breath-new-life-canal-side-848871
https://www.mclarengroup.com/projects/castle-quay-2-waterfront-banbury/
Daniel Thomas, “What Went Wrong at Debenhams?” BBC News, 1st December 2020. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55144922
This article was also informed by members of the Facebook group Banburyshire Info. You can read more from them by following this link https://www.facebook.com/groups/Banburyshireinfo/?multi_permalinks=10158241311766622&comment_id=10158241710026622¬if_id=1610910285422665¬if_t=feedback_reaction_generic&ref=notif