Timeline for “rebirth of Stretford Town Centre” revealed

Stretford’s £50m town centre transformation will see the return of a bustling high street by mid-October, featuring independent shops, bars, and restaurants along a newly reopened King Street.
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Stretford Town Centre King Street

A timeline for the rebirth of Stretford town centre has been revealed, detailing the return of its shopping high street complete with independent businesses, bars and restaurants.

Development partners in the £50m scheme – Bruntwood and Trafford council – hosted a group of residents on a visit to the new King Street thoroughfare, which will be open to the elements for the first time in decades soon.

Stretford Town Centre

Stretford Town Centre
Looking towards the developing King Street thoroughfare from Sir Tony Lloyd Square

Bruntwood development director Rob Elsom said King Street will reopen to the public in mid-August, although the shops themselves will not be open at that point.

He said: “We will finish building the shells and then all of the retailers will come along and do their fit-outs.

“They will manage their own fit-outs so they will have their own programmes and timescales, so they will all get ready to open at slightly different points [in time].”

It is estimated that, including the existing businesses along the Chester Road side of what is now Stretford Mall, there will be between 40 and 50 outlets.

What’s planned for the Stretford Town Centre development?

Big plans for King Street

He said that a launch of the newly-installed businesses, some of which are moving over from where they are now in the mall, was planned for the half-term break in mid-October.

By then, the four-level car park which can host 450 vehicles as well as a 100-vehicle surface level car park will be open.

But he went on: “However, in the meantime, as soon as the street actually opens and people can walk through, we want to start putting things on in here to give a reason to come here. There will be vinyls [signage] on the shops saying who’s going where at that point.”

Precisely which businesses are to move to the new town centre have not yet been revealed. Mr Elsom said that negotiations with certain retailers were still ‘in process’.

The return of ‘quirky little streets’

Standing in the square at one end of King Street, which is to named after late Stretford -born Labour MP Sir tony Lloyd, Mr Elsom described how much of the original buildings in King Street had been retained in order to preserve the character of the town and he hailed the return of ‘quirky little streets’ to Stretford.

After King Street is occupied and functional the demolition of what is now Stretford Mall will go ahead.

“We are targeting that at end of this year, into spring and summer next year for the demolition of the mall,” added Mr Elsom.

Eventually, there will also be 800 new homes and a total of  140,000sq ft of shops, bars, restaurants, a cinema, theatre and a pub in the new town centre. The existing Aldi store on the site will be retained.

Plans are also going ahead for green space which will allow views of the nearby St Matthews Church.

Trafford council’s executive member of economy and regeneration Coun Liz Patel was also present at the walk-around. She said: “I’m delighted to be able to welcome residents into the space for the first time. There’s been a lot of enthusiasm for what they’ve seen. There’s a lot of excitement for the reopening of Stretford town centre.

“The sun helps, it’s been a long process and residents nearby have had to live in the shadow of the work for a long time and businesses oiperating within it, so we’re really looking forward to the reopening of the high street.”

Keep updated with Stretford developments here

To keep updated with that’s happening in Stretford please click here

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