The following is a comprehensive list of all new shops confirmed for Parkway Newbury. (in alphabetical order)  plus Barclays Bank, due to open in the new Parkway complex on October 27th. John Lewis at Home will not be opening until the spring of 2012.


Argento
is the UK & Irelands’ Leading Contemporary Jeweller.  They source jewellery globally and sell favourite designers including; Pandora, Pilgrim, Hot Diamonds, Charmed, Jackie Brazil, Thomas Sabo and Karma Jewellery. Argento also sell their own brands; Charmed, Mian and GUISE for the males. These gorgeous jewellery pieces are hand chosen from around the world. Call in for the Perfect Gift or Treat yourself.

Barclays Bank
Barclays will be closing both of their existing branches in Market Place and Northbrook Street, and will be consolidating under one roof. They are moving to a prominent position opposite Marks and Spencer on the junction of Marsh Lane with Middle Street.

Costa Coffee
Already firmly established in Northbrook Street, Costa will be opening a new branch in East Street, close to its junction with Northbrook Street.

Debenhams
Debenhams has 153 stores across the UK and Ireland and a fully transactional website, reflecting Debenhams' commitment to offering their customers greater value, a wider choice and excellent service across every area in which they trade. This will be the flagship store for the new Parkway complex. Debenhams are expected to retain their store within the Kennet Centre until 2014.

Fat Face
Fat Face have been trading in Newbury for the last four years on the corner of Mansion House Street and Bartholomew Street. This branch will be closing and business will be transferred to a new store within the Parkway complex.

Fraser Hart
Multiple retailer of the year 2011
Fraser Hart is the UK’s leading independent jewellery retailer with a network of 35 shops in many of the major commercial centres across the UK. A wide range of gold and silver, diamond and other precious stone jewellery is offered in addition to prestige and premium branded watches. We are proud to have been appointed agents for some of the world's top brands including Rolex, Cartier, Chopard, Bvlgari, IWC and Breitling.

H & M
Today H&M operates in 41 markets and has 87,000 employees all working to the same philosophy: to bring you fashion and quality at the best price. H&M offers fashion and quality at the best price with a broad and varied selection for women, men, teens and children. Each of the departments contains a number of different concepts, a broad and varied range that allows customers to find their own personal style. The collections are created with H&M’s broad clientele in mind and the aim is to satisfy many different tastes and requirements.

Hotel Chocolat
Luxury Chocolate Gifts. Whatever you’re up to this festive season, their luxury chocolate will help you do it in style – delivered as gifts by post or handed over in person. As a cocoa grower & chocolatier, you can be sure their gourmet chocolates will thrill & excite. So for chocolate gifts, look no further than their chocolate store!

Jigsaw
is a British company that has been involved in the design, manufacturing and retailing of clothes and accessories for over thirty-five years, under the ownership of the original founder, Jigsaw remains focused on selling desirable, high quality clothes and accessories in individual and stimulating shopping environments. They are always striving to find a creative balance of inspiring their current customers whilst enticing in the new, offering collections made up of “on trend” elements as well as beautifully cut wardrobe classics. Core values of originality, creativity, fairness and integrity drive them to create unique, individual clothing, made from the highest quality fabrics with close attention to finish and detail, at a price that reflects genuine value.

Johnsons Shoe Co.
is the leading independent branded shoe retailer in the south of England, offering its customers a wide selection of men’s, ladies and children’s shoes and accessories through its 13 outlets, trading under the Johnsons Shoes and Bowleys fascias. Brands include Cheaney, Magnanni, Merrell, Church’s, Panama Jack, Rockport, Geox, Rohde, Loake, Timberland, Sebago, Dr Drinkman, Ecco, Alexandria, Van Dal.

Jones the Bootmaker
The company was established in 1857 and currently has over 80 branches throughout the UK. The company has expanded into most of the key retail outlets as well as high profile units within London. Jones Bootmaker, FITFLOP, Timberland, Barkers, Birkenstock, Camel Active, Camper, Crocs, Cat, Converse, Cushe, Cheaney, ECCO, Ewe, Fly London, Gabor, Geox, G-Star Raw, Hush Puppies, Josef Seibel, Kickers, Lelli Kelly, Merrell, Naturalista, Oliver Sweeney, Pikolinos, Rockport, Steptronic, Ted Baker

Lakeland
As one of the UK's home shopping pioneers with nearly half a century of experience under our belts, Lakeland offer an unrivalled collection of creative kitchenware, practical ideas for the home and garden, and inspiring gifts from all over the world. Their buyers search for innovative products that make life easier, before putting them through a rigorous selection and testing process to ensure they meet their exacting standards

Marks and Spencers.
M&S, already a long established trader in Northbrook Street, will have an additional entrance onto Middle Street, as well as direct access into the new underground car park.

New Look.
New Look was founded in 1969 in Weymouth. Since then the company has rapidly expanded and now operates across a chain of over 1,000 stores internationally and a staff of over 30,000. Already trading from Kennet Shopping and the Newbury Retail Park, this will be the third store for New Look in Newbury.

Paperchase
is the UK’s undisputed leader in innovative, design-led stationery, cards and gift-wrap. They have been around for over 40 years and are now firmly established as the top destination for customers looking for new and different gifts, cards and stationery.

Superdry
Superdry is a distinctive branded UK fashion retailer offering quality detailed clothing and accessories. The business was founded in 1985 and has since been developed to design and sell a wide range of premium men’s and women’s clothing under its flagship brand, Superdry, together with other own brands and a number of third-party products which are sold in Cult stores.

Topshop/Topman
Topshop is a British clothes retailer with stores in over 20 countries and online operations in some of its markets. Topshop's sales primarily come from women's clothing and fashion accessories. It is part of the Arcadia Group, which owns a number of other retail outlets including Burton, Dorothy Perkins and Miss Selfridge.
Topman is the stand-alone fashion business counterpart of Topshop that caters exclusively to men’s clothing. Topman's main product offerings are fashionable men's clothing, covering everything from men's formal suits to informal indie-rock-influenced casual-styling ranges, along with footwear and fashion accessories.

2 shoe shops, 2 Jewellers, 8 clothing shops, a card shop, a kitchenware shop and an expensive sweet shop?*

We gave it all away (for three quid), messed up the traffic and drainage (possibly forever) lost a life, and began to suck the life out of Northbrook Street, for this?

Let joy be unconfined.


Threep.

*aint we got most of these shop types already?

People who like to buy piles of clothes would normally complain of the poor selection of clothes shops in the former market town called Newbury.

Quoted from Greenham Common

People who like to buy piles of clothes would normally complain of the poor selection of clothes shops in the former market town called Newbury.

People who like to buy piles of clothes are idiots.  So we have redesigned Newbury to cater for idiots.  

Quoted from blackdog

People who like to buy piles of clothes are idiots.  So we have redesigned Newbury to cater for idiots.  

I can't help but agree, although I try to temper my language with a small amount of a live and let live vibe!    Fortunately for the idiots perhaps, their disposable income is inversely proportional to their intelligence!

The real kicker is that they're organising a parade, yep, a parade, to welcome these shops to town. Yay! *waves little flag* welcome Lakeland, you've come to save us.


Threep.

Quoted from Threepwood

2 shoe shops, 2 Jewellers, 8 clothing shops, a card shop, a kitchenware shop and an expensive sweet shop?*

We gave it all away (for three quid), messed up the traffic and drainage (possibly forever) lost a life, and began to suck the life out of Northbrook Street, for this?

Let joy be unconfined.


Threep.

*aint we got most of these shop types already?

Utter rot, you do not speak for the whole of Newbury. I welcome them and it's about time we had a few more, even if they are "chains".

You must be a very happy bunny then. Good luck to you.

Why is it 'Utter rot' to ask if we don't already have national chains of clothes shops, card shops, jewellers, expensive chocolate and kitchenware shops? Surely it is 'utter rot' to suggest we haven't already got those types of shops?


Threep.

Quoted from whingewhingewhinge

Utter rot, you do not speak for the whole of Newbury. I welcome them and it's about time we had a few more, even if they are "chains".

I agree with the honorable member....I'm especially looking forward to Barclays, Costa, Fat Face, Jones the Bootmaker, New Look and Debenhams.

Well Barclays have just lost an account. There ain't no way that I am paying for an overpriced underground car park, just to do my companies banking.

Quoted from Muddler

I agree with the honorable member....I'm especially looking forward to Barclays, Costa, Fat Face, Jones the Bootmaker, New Look and Debenhams.

Reading the list reminds me of those cards we would collect at school, swapping those which we have already: Got, got, got, ain't got, ain't got, got, got , ain't got, got, etc...

Reminds me of the information board outside the Oracle. (can't think why)


Threep.

Quoted from Threepwood

2 shoe shops, 2 Jewellers, 8 clothing shops, a card shop, a kitchenware shop and an expensive sweet shop?*

We gave it all away (for three quid), messed up the traffic and drainage (possibly forever) lost a life, and began to suck the life out of Northbrook Street, for this?

Let joy be unconfined.


Threep.

*aint we got most of these shop types already?

Quoted from whingewhingewhinge

Utter rot, you do not speak for the whole of Newbury. I welcome them and it's about time we had a few more, even if they are "chains".

Quoted from blackdog

People who like to buy piles of clothes are idiots.  So we have redesigned Newbury to cater for idiots.  

Quoted from blackdog

People who like to buy piles of clothes are idiots.  So we have redesigned Newbury to cater for idiots.  

Well if we let idiots redesign Newbury what do you expect!

Quoted from Muddler

I agree with the honorable member....I'm especially looking forward to Barclays, Costa, Fat Face, Jones the Bootmaker, New Look and Debenhams.

Thought you were ignoring me?

Is there nothing positive that you can say about Parkway?

I produced the information shown at the beginning of this topic to inform the good people of Newbury and surrounding villages of the shops that will be available when Parkway opens. There has been nothing previous to this which has provided such comprehensive information, although Parkway will soon be launching its own website to provide this facility.

From the Newbury websites which I control, I know that there are hundreds of Google searches every day for the details that I have compiled.

NewburyP will obviously be very upset when he/she reads your comments this morning.

Quoted from BrianB

Is there nothing positive that you can say about Parkway?

Can I refer you to this article:

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/Article.aspx?articleID=14310

A prophecy which I am afraid will soon be coming true. The construction and inconvenience of the last three years has caused horrendous problems in Newbury. Fuelled by short sighted visionaries, this project has achieved a massive exodus of shoppers to other towns. They won't be coming back.

"In addition, the council’s executive member for the Newbury Vision, Pamela Bale (Con, Pangbourne) said that Parkway would complement existing shops and attractions in Newbury."

Can anyone tell me how 8 new clothing shops (some of which we've got already) will 'complement' existing attractions?

Quoted from BrianB

Is there nothing positive that you can say about Parkway?

It provides a walkway so that people shopping in Northbrook Street can walk through to get a last look at Victoria Park?

Quoted from BrianB

I produced the information shown at the beginning of this topic to inform the good people of Newbury and surrounding villages of the shops that will be available when Parkway opens.

You're a very naughty boy. You knew full well they haven't published a list yet because they are embarassed by it's 'lop-sidedness'.


Threep.


*got to go and get me little flag now, I'm sooooo excited. Can't wait to stand by the side of the road and see the welcoming parade. Might camp out overnight in order to get a good spot.

Like I said before ......noteably nothing for kids. Pumpkin Patch, Build a bear maybe - if anyone from Parkway is reading ??  How about a toy shop - now there's an idea !

And a Maplin please, preferably next door to an anorak shop.

And what will we get to eat after a hard minute shopping. May be an Indian resturant ( could do with one of them ).
Perhaps a FLAG shop. ( wont last long ).

Quoted from Archie

Can I refer you to this article:

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/Article.aspx?articleID=14310

A prophecy which I am afraid will soon be coming true. The construction and inconvenience of the last three years has caused horrendous problems in Newbury. Fuelled by short sighted visionaries, this project has achieved a massive exodus of shoppers to other towns. They won't be coming back.

With fuel prices rocketing - they will.

Quoted from whingewhingewhinge

With fuel prices rocketing - they will.

With Sunday Parking charges maybe not.  Especially when you consider so many of the "New Shops" were already here!

Also by pulling the foot fall further north in the town less traffic will come to the south and market place putting further pressure and closures there.

Ho hum but on with "blind Carters" vision!

Quoted from Threepwood

You must be a very happy bunny then. Good luck to you.

Why is it 'Utter rot' to ask if we don't already have national chains of clothes shops, card shops, jewellers, expensive chocolate and kitchenware shops? Surely it is 'utter rot' to suggest we haven't already got those types of shops?


Threep.

Well firstly that list of shops isn't made up completely of existing shops. Secondly, of those that are already here but are moving to parkway, they will leave behind empty shops whose owners/landlords will have to reduce rents to fill them up again. The opportunity for new smaller shops to then move into Newbury increases. If parkway hadn't been built then we would have ended up with exactly the same shops staying put and nothing new whilst other towns continually strive to win business. But then that's clearly what those on here want - No change, whilst the rest of the country evolves around Newbury. I don't think I have ever read on here *ANY* radical plans or suggestions to improve Newbury for the shoppers, the shop owners or the tax payers. Just constant negativity and bitching, amazingly from about 6 regulars.

Quoted from whingewhingewhinge

Well firstly that list of shops isn't made up completely of existing shops.

Didn't say it was. But those I listed quite specifically ARE already here.

Quoted from whingewhingewhinge

Secondly, of those that are already here but are moving to parkway, they will leave behind empty shops whose owners/landlords will have to reduce rents to fill them up again.

Don't hold yer breath.

Quoted from whingewhingewhinge

The opportunity for new smaller shops to then move into Newbury increases.

That opportunity was there anyway if Parkway wasn't charging so much in rent, loads and loads of little ones could have moved in.

Quoted from whingewhingewhinge

If parkway hadn't been built then we would have ended up with exactly the same shops staying put and nothing new whilst other towns continually strive to win business.

Are you saying that Newbury has not had any new shops moving in?  You say 'exactly the same shops' Funny, I've seen shops come and go lots and lots. You should leave Market Street more often.

Quoted from whingewhingewhinge

But then that's clearly what those on here want - No change,

Now, now, you've gotten change mixed up with progress. Progress for the benefit of the people, character, and environs of Newbury  - Yes. Change for changes' sake, and at any price?  No. Ta.

Quoted from whingewhingewhinge

I don't think I have ever read on here *ANY* radical plans or suggestions to improve Newbury for the shoppers, the shop owners or the tax payers.

This place is brimful of radical ideas, from turning the Kennet Centre into a full time covered market through to the more recent moving the Arts Centre to Weavers Walk. But just out of interest, if Parkway is such a spiffing idea, why did Debenhams have to be bribed to move there?


Threep.

Quoted from whingewhingewhinge

If parkway hadn't been built then we would have ended up with exactly the same shops staying put and nothing new whilst other towns continually strive to win business. But then that's clearly what those on here want - No change, whilst the rest of the country evolves around Newbury. I don't think I have ever read on here *ANY* radical plans or suggestions to improve Newbury for the shoppers, the shop owners or the tax payers. Just constant negativity and bitching, amazingly from about 6 regulars.

I understand the rest of the country is struggling and the high-street is contracting.  I think the council selling that amount of land for a couple of quid and £300,000 a year is short sighted.  Notwithstanding the disruption all these years, and a town that is just simply becoming less and less attractive to visit (things like parking charges 24/7)

Quoted from whingewhingewhinge

Thought you were ignoring me?

I thought agreeing with you would be more annoying.  

Parkway is here to stay I'm afraid. We may aswel support it and hope it works, because if it doesn't work we are going to have a white elephant on our hands. I know some of you would be happy with that result, but I want to see Newbury getting better, not worse.

Quoted from richard.garvie

Parkway is here to stay I'm afraid. We may aswel support it and hope it works, because if it doesn't work we are going to have a white elephant on our hands. I know some of you would be happy with that result, but I want to see Newbury getting better, not worse.

So if it don't work, it's our fault? Is that what you're saying? Have a word.

We all want to see Newbury getting better, but not at any cost, and certainly not by seeing it turned into a 'Mini-Me' of Reading.

The argument that "well, so-and-so's got one.....so we just have to have one" doesn't really stand up to scrutiny.


Threep.

* but still going early to bag a good place at the front, so I can see this fantastic welcoming parade their organising. Do you think each of the mulit-nationals will have their own float, you know, a bit like a carnival? Who do you think will be on them waving back, people from Corporate Footprint analysis? International Branding? people from H.R? Heads of global accounting?....golly gee I'm so excited. Oh, and a big 'shout out' to all those at W.B.C. who have given me this chance to march round the town and play my Vuvuzala to celebrate the opening of another kitchenware shop.

All I'm saying is that we are stuffed. It's not going away whether we like it or not. We need it to be a sucess now, as if it ends up as an empty block of shops, how is that going to be good for the town? The decision was made, it has now been built, we need to accept that fact. Whether it is in the right location, whether we got a good deal for the taxpayer and whether it's going to be the best thing since sliced bread are all questions that will be asked for eternity. But the fact is that it is here now, and we need to support it.

We now need a sustainable development on the bus station site to ensure the KC and south side of town remain viable. Whether we will get a sustainable development is an entirely different question.

Quoted from richard.garvie

But the fact is that it is here now, and we need to support it.

.

Why's that? I don't feel the need to support Tesco, so why should I feel the need to support SLI or H&M? Personally, I hope it flops. Am I allowed to say that? Ah... Who cares.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A706736

Here you go, granted it's a bit late now, but here's a French Village who turned out in force, dismantled a Mickey D's and dumped it outside the town hall. Direct action or what?


Unspoilt town thrives after banning supermarkets:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1522313/Local-food-flourishes-after-supermarket-ban.html


Both radical solutions. As opposed the W.B.C.'s unusual tactic of dropping their trousers and walking into SLI's office backwards.


Threep.

Quoted from richard.garvie

We need it to be a sucess now, as if it ends up as an empty block of shops, how is that going to be good for the town?

Hey, there's a thought - yet another possible location for the arts pavilion! Prefer the idea of locating it in Northbrook St, next to the new leisure centre, or in the vacant units under the cinema but Parkway's an option too.

I think we can safely assume that one of the numerous vacant sites will be used, as no one in their right mind would build on the park while brownfield sites lie unused.  Excellent news everyone!

They didn't drop their trousers, they dropped ours. That's what is so annoying, they aren't truly stakeholders. They don't live here.

Personally I hope the shops in Parkway fail, shop rents fall and some interesting shops appear in Newbury for a change.  If the flats looming over the park could somehow disappear that would also be nice - but I accept that is unlikely.

The opening ceremony sounds equally enthralling - apparently someone is going to dress as Jack o Newbury - that will bring em in !!

They should get Keith chagrin to open it... Bloody iPad auto correct

Quoted from 26

They should get Keith chagrin to open it... Bloody iPad auto correct

No chagrin sounds about right !

Quoted from richard.garvie

We now need a sustainable development on the bus station site to ensure the KC and south side of town remain viable. Whether we will get a sustainable development is an entirely different question.

Well, that won't happen for some while I have no doubt. Any development at that part of the town will be an incentive for people coming by bus or train to our metropolis to restrict their visit to that end of the town. WBC and SLI wouldn't want anything that might detract from the glorious Parkway shopping experience, especially if the KC, along with that development, got its act together and revitalised their shopping experience. However, perhaps if the BID gets underway, it could lobby for it and the balance might then tip a little more in the direction of Bartholomew Street and the Market Place.

If the bus station is sold for a pound, what say we all put 10p each and buy it.

Quoted from richard.garvie

All I'm saying is that we are stuffed. It's not going away whether we like it or not. We need it to be a success now, as if it ends up as an empty block of shops, how is that going to be good for the town?

Being spiteful, I'd like to see it fail.  It would then stand as an 'epitaph' to our myopic councils.  It is a hideous carbuncle on the face of the former market town called Newbury.

Cannot believe posters really want to see more empty, boarded up shops along Newbury streets, which will happen if this fails.  We may not be getting the shops we want now, but if it is success, footfall increases, then other stores will be attracted to Newbury (perhaps even Paula's Build a Bear).

Quoted from jay

Cannot believe posters really want to see more empty, boarded up shops along Newbury streets, which will happen if this fails. .

Succeeds you mean. It will suck the life out of the rest of Newbury. That's not to mention the wholly disproportionate scale of it.

It won't fail though will it...it's the new town centre, so south of the canal will fail instead.  

WBC waived £1m of developer contributions.
WBC gave them another £1m to subsidise the affordable housing
WBC said they could get rid of the square and put a John Lewis there.
WBC has apparently colluded to fix car park pricing with Standard Life.

And that's only since Standard Life came top out of.....er...two developers. (Yep that's  right, council rules say THREE bids or re-tender....except on Parkway).

Even before there was a spade in the ground, WBC had:

Abandoned a condition for some on-site renewable energy generation.
Allowed a scheme 10% bigger than they asked for
Abandoned a condition to replace the VP toilet block with loos in Park way.

Quoted from Muddler

It won't fail though will it...it's the new town centre, so south of the canal will fail instead.  

That's why it's important for the council to, before they waste money on the pavilion, start the ball rolling with the development that was long ago promised on the bus and rail station. May be a bit of a problem for WBC if it impacts on the big staff car park but what the heck. It would save the life of the Southern part of town and may provide a lifeline for the KC.

What does concern me are the concessions that have never ever been revealed.

We only got to hear about the 4 million pounds for Debenhams and the £1 sale of the car parks because someone in the IT department at West Berks (possibly user23) put confidential information onto the Internet by mistake.

It was only there for a few hours. If that person had not dropped off, we would probably never ever have known. Asking the right questions under FOI may have revealed it, but we would never have guessed that such an arrangement would have ever been considered.

Quoted from brian

That's why it's important for the council to, before they waste money on the pavilion, start the ball rolling with the development that was long ago promised on the bus and rail station. May be a bit of a problem for WBC if it impacts on the big staff car park but what the heck. It would save the life of the Southern part of town and may provide a lifeline for the KC.

Too late - they have stopped CPR and someone has taken away the defibrillator.  

Quoted from jay

Cannot believe posters really want to see more empty, boarded up shops along Newbury streets, which will happen if this fails.  We may not be getting the shops we want now, but if it is success, footfall increases, then other stores will be attracted to Newbury (perhaps even Paula's Build a Bear).

I can believe it, reminds me of these two.

Surely everything is totally transparent where money is concerned. Are there not audited accounts published in the way a plc has to?

Quoted from 26

Surely everything is totally transparent where money is concerned. Are there not audited accounts published in the way a plc has to?

Like his expenses claim???

seems the auditors may not be that good.

Quoted from 26

Surely everything is totally transparent where money is concerned. Are there not audited accounts published in the way a plc has to?

About as transparent as the MP's Expenses were you mean?  

Quoted from BrianB

What does concern me are the concessions that have never ever been revealed.

I assume they'd say that this was commercial in confidence and avoid an FOI.

See the Commercial Interests section here http://goo.gl/m1IG0 for example.

Anyway, I'm sure that none of the Visioneers at WBC would claim that the vision was set in concrete. Plans have to adapt to changing times and times have changed out of all recognition since the original vision was developed. It might have made some sense to locate the pavilion in the park when the economy was booming, but it's not now.  Much better to locate on or near Northbrook Street or in the KC. Surely?

I see they've launched a new website too http://www.shopatparkway.com/

Quoted from jay

We may not be getting the shops we want now, but if it is success, footfall increases, then other stores will be attracted to Newbury .

Sorry, not sure of the logic here. Are you saying we should shop in places we don't want in the hope that we might eventually get something we do?


Threep.

As I see it all the eggs are in one basket - John Lewis at Home - unless this anchor store can attract the multitudes expected then there is nothing else to attract new shoppers or indeed the lost shoppers back to Newbury. Most shops are just relocating and what new ones there are is not sufficient enough, especially with the limited road access and other problems associated with Newbury shopping experience, to attract new shoppers. Apart from the curious lets have a first look and never to be seen again customers I have serious doubts that it will be a large enough attraction. I predict another white elephant for Newbury I'm afraid. Far too little planning on infrastructure and foresight and far far too late.

Speaking personally, I cannot believe that there are members of this forum who want Parkway to fail. I spent time preparing the original posting to inform every one of the shops currently signed up for the opening on October 27th. I prepared this information on the basis that at least 25% of the enquiries to http://www.shopnewbury.com are for details of the new shops.

Currently there are 33 units for which tenants have not been announced. Three of these have agreed terms and are in the hands of solicitors. (There is a good chance that these units will be open before Christmas). Fourteen are currently in negotiations.

That takes care of 95% of the development. The remainder are mainly smaller units or kiosks. Although I am disappointed that there appears to be no interest in three of the units which front onto Northbrook Street.

Quoted from BrianB

Speaking personally, I cannot believe that there are members of this forum who want Parkway to fail.

I just cannot believe that you Brian, who has consistently condemned West Berks for its arrogance and incompetence (fully justified) over many years, actually want it to succeed.

I thought that you were protecting the interests of the independents, the majority of whom are in the south of the town, who will lose out massively when this carbuncle opens.

I'd like to see it fail because I am against the whole thing.  From concept, sale, design, to implementation.  SLI played a canny game and tucked the council right up.  All this for some extra shops and expensive apartments.  Whoop-dee-do.

Quoted from BrianB

Speaking personally, I cannot believe that there are members of this forum who want Parkway to fail. I spent time preparing the original posting to inform every one of the shops currently signed up for the opening on October 27th. I prepared this information on the basis that at least 25% of the enquiries to http://www.shopnewbury.com are for details of the new shops.

Currently there are 33 units for which tenants have not been announced. Three of these have agreed terms and are in the hands of solicitors. (There is a good chance that these units will be open before Christmas). Fourteen are currently in negotiations.

That takes care of 95% of the development. The remainder are mainly smaller units or kiosks. Although I am disappointed that there appears to be no interest in three of the units which front onto Northbrook Street.

Not a case of wanting it to fail. More a case it was doomed to failure. Our town leaders have done nothing over the years to provide an overall strategy to maintain the balance of a market town. We need a shopping experience which suits the needs of the immediate locale. It has found that the town is dying and instead of attempting to balance the needs of the locals by accepting that we are not going to be a Reading, Basingstoke or Swindon they have tried to emmulate them. We do not have the infrastructure for this. We have rivers and the canal running through and are unable to provide the road networks to prevent the bottlenecks that visitors, we are trying to attract, just do not accept. Like villages have found, shopping habits are changing, apart from the one village general store, providing there is demand for it, several shops are no longer viable. The move is to internet shopping. Just look at the figures for the number of people that do even the grocery shopping online now and have it delivered. People just don't have the time or want the hassle.  

Retail outlets out of town are popular only because of the fact that it makes a day out now and again and part of the enjoyment is the drive to somewhere different. Usually no hassle parking and for free. Newbury seems unable to grasp that we will just not be able to compete. Part of this experience is also the fact that there is usually numerous national chains not just one anchor store surrounded by a few token struggling others. How many shops have started up in Newbury over the last ten years and how long have they survived?

Just like villages we should accept that we should in fact be contracting in numbers of shops, bigger is not necessarily better. Newbury is now so muddled and seperated that is has become a missmash of a mess. Desperate attempts to do something, anything, has made the situation even worse.

To dump a carbuncle, as it has been described, into a small market town to tower over and dominate one of our few remaining, at least for now, open spaces to make a last gasp bid to keep up with the Jones's is just not acceptable. Especially when it means the death of the rest of the town. I sincerely hope I am wrong but I unable to remain hopefull.

Quoted from Cognosco

As I see it all the eggs are in one basket - John Lewis at Home - unless this anchor store can attract the multitudes expected then there is nothing else to attract new shoppers.

There seems to be a total misconception about the John Lewis that will open in Newbury. Talking to a lady the other day she said "Oh, it will at least save a trip to Reading as John Lewis do lovely clothes." The fact is that it really isn't an anchor store as what they will sell is exactly what Camps sell in their furniture department. It is a John Lewis at Home as you quite rightly say but it isn't a full blown John Lewis so one visit to have a look at their furniture and that will be that.

Poole is a JL at Home. here is what departments they have. Newbury will be the same no doubt.

http://www.johnlewis.com/Shops/DSDepartments.aspx?Id=57

What JL do is put the internet search on the left web panel to make it appear, on first glance, that they sell the whole range. They do on the internet but not in that shop.

So, all this bowing and scraping by WBC because of the name was a bit of a smokescreen by SLI and I'm surprised that they, WBC, didn't see through this when approving the planning application which has destroyed what made the development more palatable, the provision of a section for the lunch and coffee shoppers.

Oh, of course we still have the Costa (very expensive and bland) coffee shop, staffed no doubt by Eastern Europeans with scant knowledge of the English language.

Quoted from brian

Oh, of course we still have the Costa (very expensive and bland) coffee shop, staffed no doubt by Eastern Europeans with scant knowledge of the English language.

Just when I thought this thread couldn't get any worse, someone posts some casual xenophobia.

Quoted from Cognosco

Retail outlets out of town are popular only because of the fact that it makes a day out now and again and part of the enjoyment is the drive to somewhere different. Usually no hassle parking and for free.

This is not my experience of using Newbury Retail Park. I was there this weekend, sitting in a mini gridlock in its car park. Not my idea of "no hassle" and it was not enjoyment! Rgds

Quoted from user23.3

Just when I thought this thread couldn't get any worse, someone posts some casual xenophobia.

Is that all that you could pick out of the post which was slightly subjective, what about the facts in the rest of. Care to comment on that.

I have no fear of Xens by the way, just wish I could understand sometimes what they are asking me.

Quoted from 1247

This is not my experience of using Newbury Retail Park. I was there this weekend, sitting in a mini gridlock in its car park. Not my idea of "no hassle" and it was not enjoyment! Rgds

My point exactly

http://www.newbury.net/forum/m-1316026203/s-7/#num7

Quoted from user23.3

Just when I thought this thread couldn't get any worse, someone posts some casual xenophobia.

Have to say I agree with user here - perhaps they employ eastern europeans because they are polite, customer orientated and work hard ?

Quoted from Greenham Common

I'd like to see it fail because I am against the whole thing.  From concept, sale, design, to implementation.  SLI played a canny game and tucked the council right up.  All this for some extra shops and expensive apartments.  Whoop-dee-do.

So what would you like to see done with it? Pull the whole thing down?

Especially in the current economic climate, I am relieved to see it being finished thereby providing current and future private sector employment.

Quoted from 1247

This is not my experience of using Newbury Retail Park. I was there this weekend, sitting in a mini gridlock in its car park. Not my idea of "no hassle" and it was not enjoyment! Rgds

Exactly! Newbury's attempt at an out of town retail park, they even managed to make a mess of that. No forward planning of the road layouts and vehicle numbers. Look! Out of town retail parks are all the rage we must heve one! Cram a couple of sheds together on a small piece of land on the edge of an already mostly gridlocked small market town and hope for the best?

Next they wonder why the town shops are struggling and dying. So lets try copying what so and so did! They dug up the roads etc and cobbled them over thinking that will draw the crowds, only cost a small fortune, to find that did not work either! Everything is carried out in desperation, don't panic Mr Mannering springs to mind here, no real thought goes into anything it would seem. Perhaps it is time to realise that Newbury is not going to survive as a smaller clone of other larger towns. Instead of trying to make it larger by cobbling bits and pieces on ad hoc and making the town a complete something of nothing perhaps it would be better to contract it down to a very small shopping centre and making the rest residential instead of building new residential on greenfield sites.

But of course that won't work because it would need vision and forward planning and this is of course Newbury?  

Quoted from PaulaM

Have to say I agree with user here - perhaps they employ eastern europeans because they are polite, customer orientated and work hard ?

So cheap has nothing to do with it? Naive.

Newbury/Thatcham is an urban area with a population of around 70,000 - in itself large enough to support a wide range of shopping.  However the shops we have and are about to get are not different enough to attract people from outside the area to come an shop here.  If they want to attract more people to Newbury they need to start considering it as a tourist/day-out destination - antique shops, secondhand/specialist book shops, other specialist shops, entertainment, cultural attractions (Tate Newbury anyone? - Andrew Lloyd Webber is looking for a home for his pre-Raphaelite collection), quality restaurants (why do celebrity chefs open restaurants in pubs around Newbury but not in the town?), decent hotels, drunken yobbo free evenings. How much of this could have been built in the space wasted on Parkway?

Quoted from user23.3

Just when I thought this thread couldn't get any worse, someone posts some casual xenophobia.

Oh dear! Who has had the temerity to disparage the beloved WBC this time then? Won't we ever learn? User just won't stand for it you know! Can't divert attention this way so we will try xenophobia. You only have Y and Z in the alphabet left to rely on User so go steady. You are running out of diversionary tactics. Now lets get back to the problems with Newbury shall we?  

Quoted from blackdog

Newbury/Thatcham is an urban area with a population of around 70,000 - in itself large enough to support a wide range of shopping.  However the shops we have and are about to get are not different enough to attract people from outside the area to come an shop here.  If they want to attract more people to Newbury they need to start considering it as a tourist/day-out destination - antique shops, secondhand/specialist book shops, other specialist shops, entertainment, cultural attractions (Tate Newbury anyone? - Andrew Lloyd Webber is looking for a home for his pre-Raphaelite collection), quality restaurants (why do celebrity chefs open restaurants in pubs around Newbury but not in the town?), decent hotels, drunken yobbo free evenings. How much of this could have been built in the space wasted on Parkway?

Who are the "they" you are referring to?

Quoted from 1247

So what would you like to see done with it? Pull the whole thing down?

Especially in the current economic climate, I am relieved to see it being finished thereby providing current and future private sector employment.

But at what expense? The majority are just relocating so probably no new jobs there then. so for a handful of new jobs the rest of the town who are not moving will probably lose theirs. Town centres are changing, even without the problems brought on by the economic climate. Far too little too late. Newbury has been terminally ill for some time now and it has been ignored the cancer has spread over too big an area and the surgery that has just been performed has manged to spread it even further. Sometimes you have to admit the patient is going to die and have to give up. Sad but a fact of life. But life needs to go on, pity it was not planned for though?

Quoted from Cognosco

Newbury has been terminally ill for some time now and it has been ignored the cancer has spread over too big an area and the surgery that has just been performed has manged to spread it even further. Sometimes you have to admit the patient is going to die and have to give up.

Wow!

I am sorry to hear of your prognisis that Newbury is terminally ill and should be put out of its misery. I disagree and think the town will outlive your opinon. Rgds

Quoted from 1247

So what would you like to see done with it? Pull the whole thing down?

No just fail as a hideous mistake by our councils' will do.

Quoted from 1247

Wow!

I am sorry to hear of your prognisis that Newbury is terminally ill and should be put out of its misery. I disagree and think the town will outlive your opinon. Rgds

The town will survive I am sure but just not as a shopping centre, that has been left far too long and it is too late. It just seems that Newbury is always trying to play catch up. We have no identity of our own, apart from the racecourse, which creates havoc when it is on because the road infrastructure has not been planned to cater for such events. Just cast the mind back to all the plans of the past, or lack of, the fiasco that is created whenever Newbury decides to do something? Everything turns into a complete farce. it goes as far back as a leisure centre that starts cracking up after it is just built. More recently a library that has a sagging roof. I am sure others with more knowledge than me can produce a list of what I call fiasco's in the past. This has even continued with the latest events. Look at the problems caused to Victoria Park by allegedly the Park Way development. Look at the latest childrens play area in the park that is apparently a mud pond when we have even a spit of rain. Look at the new skateboard park provided that does not cater for what the old one did. It just gives the impression that things are just muddled through with no proper planning or consultations in a deperate bid to been seen to be doing something even if what you are doing is more harmful than being just left alone.

Consult with the people of Newbury, ask opinions, ask the correct questions and not produce surveys and ask just a few of the total electorate questions that has already been designed to give the answers you want! Yes! It may be a long drawn out affair with the many replies I expect you would get but you would then know what if anything Newbury taxpayers wish to happen to a rural market town and could start to plan for it. Is there anyone out there who thinks the town is not a mess? is there anyone out there who thinks Parkway will not mean the death of the rest of the town? Is there anyone out there who thinks Newbury has been well organised over the last few decades?

I look forward to some good opinions.

Quoted from 26

So cheap has nothing to do with it? Naive.

They are cheap too ? What a bargain then ! Seriously though I can understand what they say perfectly and have always found them to be very efficient - something the British workforce seems to lack sometimes innit !

We're doomed Captain Mainwering, doomed.

I do have some reservations about it all being WBC's fault but there does seem to be a failure on their part for a lot of the difficulties that beset us. There has been a lack of investment for whatever reason in some of the assets and in particular, the Waterside which is planned for luxury apartments and has been allowed to deteriorate until eventually it becomes a H&S risk. This unusable building fits in nicely with the Wharf plans. Equally, the museum, closed until 2014 because it is a H&S risk due to inadequate attention to the fire regulations and then, it has been determined, that the Greenham Park building has also been allowed to deteriorate to such an extent that all the council can do is sell it off for development.

Cognosco touched on the failure to plan the road structure, typically, not purchasing and using the land where the Sun pub was for a major rethink of the Sainsbury roundabout so that the bridge from Parkway could have fed into the A339 without the old queues and of course failing to spend a little more and make the bridge two way. The finances were available when it was rebuilt, they easily found the cash to cobble the market place. Now, by allowing SLI to mess with the Parkway roads where the second anchor store is going is the last nail. The council introduced SLI to the town and gave huge concessions to allow them to do what they have done and then gave away most of what remained of the agreements back to SLI.

We have an overpowering building in the centre of the town called a Vue cinema. Thanks for that but how out of place can a building be. The irony is that they allow that great carbuncle and the huge KC signs to go up then moan about the Mango restaurant's signs on the railway bridge which bridge has to rank as the ugliest and most dangerous bridge for miles around.

They allowed water extraction without any thought of the consequences for the surrounding area, allowed private developers to close off roads in the town while they did what they wanted both in Market Street and now Parkway with the bridge closed because it suits SLI. Try and put a skip on the road for a day or so.

Quoted from BrianB

Although I am disappointed that there appears to be no interest in three of the units which front onto Northbrook Street.

I was quoted £38K a year ago for G21 - Negotiate me a deal and I might be interested Brian  

Quoted from PaulaM

I was quoted £38K a year ago for G21 - Negotiate me a deal and I might be interested Brian  

Surprisingly, landlords of Northbrook Street properties are not offering any concessions, even though the number of empty premises is increasing on a weekly basis. Prepare for an influx of tat shops and pedlars for Christmas.

Northbrook Street will be very quiet with the buses removed and everyone using the new underground car park. I just hope that the now much narrower thoroughfare previously known as Park Way (note the space between Park and Way) will be able to cope with Delivery lorries, buses, taxis, postal vehicles, security vans and of course thousands of shoppers.

I am convinced that a lot of ordinary motorists will be following the taxis over Parkway  Bridge. Still the ANPR cameras will be there to ensure they pay the appropriate penalty (and also to deter them from shopping in Newbury in the future).

Quoted from brian

We're doomed Captain Mainwering, doomed.

I do have some reservations about it all being WBC's fault but there does seem to be a failure on their part for a lot of the difficulties that beset us. There has been a lack of investment for whatever reason in some of the assets and in particular, the Waterside which is planned for luxury apartments and has been allowed to deteriorate until eventually it becomes a H&S risk. This unusable building fits in nicely with the Wharf plans. Equally, the museum, closed until 2014 because it is a H&S risk due to inadequate attention to the fire regulations and then, it has been determined, that the Greenham Park building has also been allowed to deteriorate to such an extent that all the council can do is sell it off for development.

Cognosco touched on the failure to plan the road structure, typically, not purchasing and using the land where the Sun pub was for a major rethink of the Sainsbury roundabout so that the bridge from Parkway could have fed into the A339 without the old queues and of course failing to spend a little more and make the bridge two way. The finances were available when it was rebuilt, they easily found the cash to cobble the market place. Now, by allowing SLI to mess with the Parkway roads where the second anchor store is going is the last nail. The council introduced SLI to the town and gave huge concessions to allow them to do what they have done and then gave away most of what remained of the agreements back to SLI.

We have an overpowering building in the centre of the town called a Vue cinema. Thanks for that but how out of place can a building be. The irony is that they allow that great carbuncle and the huge KC signs to go up then moan about the Mango restaurant's signs on the railway bridge which bridge has to rank as the ugliest and most dangerous bridge for miles around.

They allowed water extraction without any thought of the consequences for the surrounding area, allowed private developers to close off roads in the town while they did what they wanted both in Market Street and now Parkway with the bridge closed because it suits SLI. Try and put a skip on the road for a day or so.

I think this passage should be saved for anytime someone shows surprise at how we think the councils run the town.

Quoted from BrianB

Speaking personally, I cannot believe that there are members of this forum who want Parkway to fail.

Well, l I suppose there might possibly be posters who would like to be able to say 'I told you so'.   The only thing that's certain is that it's there and it's going to open and nothing posted here will make any difference at all to whether it does or not.  I certainly hope it's a success, but as with any other speculative investment it might and it might not. That's business. Presumably those who invested in it thought at the time that there was a reasonable chance it would succeed.

Quoted from BrianB

Although I am disappointed that there appears to be no interest in three of the units which front onto Northbrook Street.

Every cloud has a silver lining - add them to the list of possible locations for the arts centre/pavilion.

Seems to me that there's little point in discussing what's done and dusted.  

Those who are interested in the future of the town should focus on the aspects of the vision which haven't been implemented and ensuring that, whatever happens, it's in line with the majority of residents' views.  

I think we need a completely independent (ie not run by WBC) and thorough consultation on that.  Perhaps an referendum. If it turns out that the majority of people really would like to see a canal basin, new pubs and an arts pavilion in the park so be it, but we need to be really sure.

Don't we?

Quoted from noobree

Those who are interested in the future of the town should focus on the aspects of the vision which haven't been implemented and ensuring that, whatever happens, it's in line with the majority of residents' views.  

I think we need a completely independent (ie not run by WBC) and thorough consultation on that.  Perhaps an referendum. If it turns out that the majority of people really would like to see a canal basin, new pubs and an arts pavilion in the park so be it, but we need to be really sure.

Don't we?

I do believe  there should be a referendum and it should not be carried out by WBC or any one associated with them.
The economic climate has changed out of all proportion since the last Vision was published by WBC and the Newbury Few.
I have found the vast majority of Newbury residents I have spoken to are really against building on Victoria Park.
They also question why we need to build on the Wharf when there are empty shops and offices spread across Newbury.
The general consensus seems to be there are far more important things wrong with Newbury that need the Councils attention. Rather than fiddling with this and that, a complete rethink needs to be done regarding roads and infrastructure first.

I think you're all failing to appreciate what good news it is that Newbury is going to get a Hotel Chocolate store.  

Quoted from Whippet

I think you're all failing to appreciate what good news it is that Newbury is going to get a Hotel Chocolate store.  

You are female of course.

I have the feeling that most people who live in & around Newbury ( ie not the 20 or so perpetual doom-mongerers who post here ) will be very happy with Park Way when it opens.

It remains to be seen if SLI & the new tennants have their sums right.

Quoted from PaulaM

I was quoted £38K a year ago for G21 - Negotiate me a deal and I might be interested Brian  

Bargain.

Pretty cheap for Northbrook St.

Quoted from blackdog

Newbury/Thatcham is an urban area with a population of around 70,000 - in itself large enough to support a wide range of shopping.  However the shops we have and are about to get are not different enough to attract people from outside the area to come an shop here.  If they want to attract more people to Newbury they need to start considering it as a tourist/day-out destination - antique shops, secondhand/specialist book shops, other specialist shops, entertainment, cultural attractions (Tate Newbury anyone? - Andrew Lloyd Webber is looking for a home for his pre-Raphaelite collection), quality restaurants (why do celebrity chefs open restaurants in pubs around Newbury but not in the town?), decent hotels, drunken yobbo free evenings. How much of this could have been built in the space wasted on Parkway?

Towns like this can only survive where there is already a healthy tourist draw, or where the town's locations makes it distant enough from competing neighbours.