Stories

Tue, 06 Oct 2026

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 Last call for the mall? How shopping centres are reinventing themselves

In the internet age, medium-sized retail hubs are looking for new ways to survive and thrive.
The Brunel Centre in Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, once a thriving retail destination, is now struggling with vacant units and only one remaining store, Boots Opticians. The centre's planned demolition next year will make way for flats and a health centre, but some are questioning the need for new housing on this site. A similar story can be seen in Cambridge's Grafton Centre, where shuttered units and an empty former Debenhams department store dominate the landscape. Long-term plans for redevelopment include retail space and a life science centre. Experts say that many medium-sized shopping centres like these are struggling to adapt to the rise of online shopping, with too many centres and not enough customers to sustain them. Subjit Jassy, director at Pioneer Group, which owns the Brunel Centre, says "the old model of retailers expanding to improve turnover has now disappeared because of the internet." However, some destination shopping centres are bucking this trend by incorporating leisure businesses and extending opening hours. Dr Kardi Somerfield, a lecturer in marketing, says that these centres can attract customers into the evening and become community hubs. Other options for struggling shopping centres include redeveloping them as leisure spaces or mixed-use developments with housing and community facilities. The Weston Favell Shopping Centre in Northampton is an example of this, having successfully adapted to changing consumer habits by incorporating a supermarket, national brands, smaller independent businesses, and community facilities. Silhouette Youth Theatre, based inside the centre, has seen increased footfall since its relocation from a former library. The theatre plans to create a 250-seat venue in part of a former Wilko store next year. Meanwhile, other towns are exploring different approaches to town centre regeneration, with some opting for primarily residential developments and others incorporating mixed-use projects with housing, leisure, and community facilities.