Silver Arcade in Leicester to reopen

[davieG]

Merc

A landmark Victorian shopping arcade is due to reopen in time for Christmas – more than a decade after it closed.

Developers started work on the grade II-listed building Silver Arcade in Silver Street, Leicester city centre, in August 2010.

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Businesses and retail experts hope the £3 million restoration of the four-storey Victorian shopping arcade will give independent traders a boost.

Harborough London, the agent for the owner, said it is hoped the first units will be ready by September.

Director Caroline Simpson-Watkinson said: "I've spoken to the architect and he says that some shops should be finished by then to show potential tenants, and the whole thing should be ready before Christmas."

After the revamp, it is hoped that the arcade will be bustling with small independent shops and boutique stores.

The project includes a restaurant and bar on the top floor, a demonstration kitchen in the basement and space for shops of various sizes on the ground, first and second floors.

Sarah Harrison, city centre director, said it would help independent traders, particularly in The Lanes area.

"It is such brilliant news that Silver Arcade is being brought back into use," she said.

"The people of Leicester have a great fondness for Silver Arcade and its opening will complete the important link that the four arcades provide from the High Street through to Leicester Market."

She said the arcades provide an opportunity for small independent retailers and add an important dimension to what the city has to offer shoppers.

Nearby traders hope the reopening will bring customers to the area.

Michelle Dann, of Voodoo, in Silver Street, said: "It will make The Lanes slightly busier, hopefully bring people in and make them venture out a little more, attracting people who don't even realise The Lanes exist."

Carl Muccillo, manager at Irish Menswear, in High Street, sounded a note of caution, saying: "Hopefully it will be a good draw, but there are a lot of empty units. I hope the Silver Arcade will be filled with independent shops, but that would depend on rent and rates."

Leicester Victorian Society spokesman Grahame Lees said he was pleased to hear the project was nearing completion.

"From what I have been able to see past the shutter, the work is looking really good," he said.

"It would really be lovely to see it ready for Christmas. You can imagine it really looking very nice and festive."

Shoppers also said they were looking forward to seeing the finished product.

Silver Arcade was once home to 64 small independent retailers, but the upper floors of the building were closed and shop fronts boarded up 12 years ago, despite a protest petition.

[Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo]

Brilliant! I used to love that place, even just to hang out. I am fully in support of this, I just hope it actually has similar stores to what it used to, and isn't 3 storeys of Starbucks one side, and 3 storeys of Costa the other

[MikeyT]

Didn't realise it had been closed for over a decade. Be good to see it re-opened and what shops will be there.

[ithuriel]

I sometimes had that when working security, it was a plum easy day there with a nice cafe up top and no trouble but the shops struggled to pay the rent due to lack of footfall.

[THEBIGJOHNSTEADER;]

The lifts used to smell like a gone off ****

[Phube]

The lifts used to smell like a gone off ****

I think I used the lifts once...

Then I used the stairs forever more!

[jonthefox]

It used to be quite a focal point for me on saturdays, with the niche clothes shops , record shops and the tattooed crowd hurling abuse at you from the second floor.

[Thracian]

Several of my friends are taking shops in the lanes but I see no reason to locate anywhere i'd be obliged to increase my prices significantly to serve the same quality of item to customers.

It'll be an attraction no question and a welcome revival that ought to bring customers to the town centre even if access will inevitably be blighted by continuous major roadworks.

Has there been a single day in a decade when there wasn't such disruption? Leicester is not remembered for it's supposedly wonderful shopping experience but for the never ending chaos of its approach roads and so many visitors speak only of their frustration in this respect.

[AoWW]

I have fond memories of Silver Arcade, Will be good to see it reopen.

[Zingari]

Used to love the place as a teeny bopper

[Thracian]

The lifts used to smell like a gone off ****

You should smell the market place toilets - if they're not a health hazard I cannot imagine what is. Far sooner clean loos than paying more for Peter Soulsby.

[Trav Le Bleu]

I loved the Silver Arcade, great news.

[Saxondale]

I honestly didn't realise it had shut!

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

Great news. When I was up in Leicester, last October, I went there but it was all closed. I initially thought it was being demolished, but thankfully a workman told me it was only being restored. Lovely little place.

[Webbo]

Nice place as others have said and worth saving from a historical aspect but how many of us ever shopped there on a regular basis? The shops in town are already struggling, can't see this being a success.

[danny.]

I hope it does well as I used to love it too, but high street (I know it's not on High St, but very close) is scarily turning into a ghost town - couldn't believe how many shops were empty last time I walked down there. Looks like Blacks has shut down and also Two Seasons seems to have disappeared now.

[Bellend Sebastian]

I used to love it, but the sort of shops that used to be in it (small independent record shops, second hand book shops etc) just don't exist anymore, so I'm intrigued what will end up in there.

I hope they've factored in the fact that I won't be going in there every week to try and find old Morrissey CD singles and back issues of 2000AD into their business model

[SemperEadem]

Sad going into town now, most shops are on their last legs or have gone or are terrible pound of knock off type places.

[Out Foxed]

great news. i know a lot of store owners were complaining about the highcross taking trade away from other areas. if they can get that area buzzing, especially with independent traders/boutiques, it can only be a good thing.

[MooseBreath]

Bookies - bar - pound shop - coffee shop - bookies - bar - pound shop - coffee shop

[vandamman]

Yes was a nice place but no idea how they got the funding for this based upon boutique shopping, seems strange to me. I think they would of been better dedicating a space to pop up shops with a mix of established retail. But good luck to them if they can get it to work.

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

Nice place as others have said and worth saving from a historical aspect but how many of us ever shopped there on a regular basis? The shops in town are already struggling, can't see this being a success.

You should see High Wycombe ( hmm, maybe not )

The new Eden Shopping Centre opened three years ago, and 30% of the units are still empty, with many others having closed down. I guess this is happening up and down the country.

[davieG]

Latest news - http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Traders-vying-units-Leicester-s-Silver-Arcade/story-16781223-detail/story.html

[1964FOX]

Hopefully it will have independent sops in there but sadly needs a couple of the 'big' shops to get people in there. Need to find the right balance to give it a chance to do well.

[davieG]

Hopefully it will have independent sops in there but sadly needs a couple of the 'big' shops to get people in there. Need to find the right balance to give it a chance to do well.

Isn't that an oxymoron or something like that?