Rewind to 1989, the year when Clayton Square first opened bringing with it a host of new stores to the city. At the time, the opening was met with a mixed reaction, however the centre soon became a much loved place for shoppers, thanks to the brands which chose it as their home. Tammy Girl, Principles, The Body Shop, Virgin Megastore, Oasis and even Disney were all based there at some point.
Fast forward to present day, and Liverpool’s shopping landscape has changed dramatically, thanks to the introduction of Liverpool ONE and the increase of independent retailers. As recently as last year, it appeared Clayton Square was struggling to keep up and attract shoppers to the centre, however thanks to its recent makeover, it now seems the centre has a second chance and a new lease of life.
But what does the future hold for the once adored Clayton Square?
Amy Whitlock , centre administrator discussed this new revamp. She said: “The refurbishment of Clayton Square in my opinion has worked very well. “It was quite a drastic change – from two lower and one upper malls to just one lower mall but it was needed – the centre now feels brighter, cleaner and more modern and it makes the most of the beautiful dome which has always been a defining feature of Clayton Square. ”
“Just after the refurbishment was completed the regeneration of Parker Street started and once that was completed the Wirral Loop Renewal commenced so footfall has been admittedly a little hit and miss but now that work has been completed our footfall seems to have risen. Now we have just the one Mall all our retailers are instantly visible to the shopper which can only be a good thing from a retail perspective. We have a great mixture of independent retailers and big chain retailers, including the biggest Boots in the city centre, our website tag line is ‘Something for Everyone’ and I believe it’s true.”
At the moment, Clayton Square is home to a Costa Coffee, an easyGym, and many other retailers. There is a huge difference from how it looked when it first opened, when it was split across two floors and was even home to a large café area at one point. However, its new look gives the centre a modern approach and this seems to be just the start the centre’s comeback. Last year, the ECHO revealed how a new McDonald’s was planned for Clayton Square, to be spread across two floors. The unit where the restaurant will be based, was previously home to the Disney Store, until it became a convenience store in 2014.
Speaking of the plans for the McDonald’s and future progress for the centre, Amy said: “There is also a McDonald’s opening in the near future – work has just started now – and it will be in the unit formally occupied by Morrison’s next to Wildwood Kitchen. Glamour Forever opened in Clayton Square in June this year, situated next to Costa Coffee on the Mall. They are an express drop in beauty bar and seem to be doing quite well. “There is a possibility of a couple more retailers coming soon which would be quite exciting – but nothing solid to announce just yet.”
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