by Nikki Tilbury
With the UK’s increasing number of high-quality covered shopping centres, consumers now expect a more sophisticated environment in which to shop. If a town centre does not boast the latest in interior design and a high standard of facilities and security, it will, inevitably, lose out to its neighbour.
Where the consumer snubs the tired, windswept 1960s shopping mall, the developer sees an opportunity to improve it. But what are the problems of covering and refurbishing a large shopping centre which must remain open? Take a look at the current refurbishment of Main Square in Camberley, Surrey, which will result in a £110m covered shopping centre.
Camberley town centre has long been attractive to retailers and shoppers, with more than 100 shops, including High Street multiples and local independents. However, by the mid-1980s the town centre, with its forbidding concrete and flat roofing, was looking decidedly dated and losing ground to neighbouring centres.
In response, Surrey Heath council sold the town centre to developers Phoenix Finance & Investments, a subsidiary of Mountleigh Group. With a brief to transform the 350,000-sq ft development into an attractive covered centre that would conceal the existing 1960s architecture and add a further 30 retail units, Phoenix appointed award-winning architects Lyons & Sleeman & Hoare, with Weatherall Green & Smith as development consultants.
The resultant design is based on a Victorian market hall, creating a light and relaxing environment incorporating elaborate steelwork with opaque glazed roofing, mosaic tiled flooring and balconies and balustrades. A staggering 7,000m2 of glazed roofing and 375 tonnes of steelwork were used in the construction.
The importance of building up a relationship with the existing tenants was addressed immediately by Phoenix and their managing agents.
Said Phoenix director Terry Lyons: “Communication is vital. We felt it essential to have someone on site as early in the project as possible, so we appointed a centre manager in November 1988 — two months prior to the contractors starting work.”
The tenants received a brochure illustrating the refurbishment programme and a campaign was initiated to inform the public.
To limit overall disruption for retailers and shoppers, the project has been split into six phases, beginning in January 1989 and scheduled for completion in August 1991.
Because the existing buildings were unable to take the additional weight of the new roof, the design team had to devise a solution involving the construction of an independent structural framework within the malls.
Keeping the daily upheaval to a minimum is crucial for a successful refurbishment. With most shops requiring clear access by 8.30am, the heaviest construction work, such as the erection of structural steelwork and potentially dangerous overhead work, must take place out of trading hours. This is also true of installing fire detection systems and sprinklers within the units.
Even when working outside normal trading hours, it is still necessary to ensure that the restaurants, nightclub and banks’ nightsafes and cashpoints are kept clear. Consequently, the overtime work involved has a considerable impact on both the project’s time-scale and cost.
Safety is vital. Health and safety consultants regularly check the site and safety “teach ins” are held by the construction team for the operational staff. One of the key requirements is keeping the walkways and any temporary ramping up to standard, and allowing clear thoroughfares of 1.8m to 2m in width for prams and wheelchairs.
For both safety and security reasons, heavy construction equipment is removed after each day’s work. On Friday evenings as much construction equipment as possible is removed. No work is carried out on Saturdays in order to keep the centre clear for the traders’ busiest day.
Round the clock on-site security guards check that no obstruction prevents a shop from opening, and the construction team work closely with the consultants to spot any potential safety hazards.
Despite comprehensive planning, the programme has, inevitably, been affected by various construction problems.
Terry Lyons explaned: “Shopping centre refurbishments which involve roofing over a wide area are relatively new and more stringent standards, especially fire regulations, are constantly being introduced. Progress is dependent upon satisfying the fire officer.”
Detection systems and sprinklers must be installed in the stores and be operational before Main Square can be covered. But the delicate control wiring and cabling required for this can only be permanently installed once the centre is covered to avoid possible weather damage.
He continued: “We get round this by installing a temporary system which will be replaced once the covering over is complete. However, this and the fact that we must rely on retailers allowing us access, together with the time and expense involved in upgrading fire exits, has caused delays and the increased cost of this has had to be budgeted properly.”
A major unforeseen problem to overcome has been the inaccuracy of records showing underground services, as architect Peter Stackhouse discovered.
“As many of the malls were once Victorian public highways, the uncovered foundations revealed a complex network of services. Nearly all had to be diverted in order to fix the steelwork, and the diversions had to be approved by the relevant authorities, contributing further to complications in progress and lengthening disruption.”
Other more minor problems have been caused by the removal of steel awnings from above the existing shops, exposing the fascias and making them susceptible to potential damage such as damp penetration.
All these factors have had an impact on the phasing of the work, but careful and highly reactive planning has minimised disruption. This is also true of day-to-day difficulties in the sequence of work, which cannot be carried out without the co-operation of the shop-keepers who would be directly affected. For example, the removal of existing walkways is carried out in sections, and bridges are built leading into shops to limit problems of accessibility.
The centre manager’s brief extends far beyond the normal management role, including playing an essential part in handling the day-to-day problems associated with the refurbishment. A point of contact between tenants, shoppers and the development team, the manager performs a vital public relations function and has also developed a relationship with local community groups, the local council, fire service and police.
Retailers are kept up to date on the construction programme and events in Main Square by a regular newsletter. This is also displayed in the centre for interested members of the public.
Improving the overall look of the centre during the refurbishment is of major importance. At the beginning of the project, large posters were produced, information displays set up and a special hoarding commissioned from a local art college. These helped to produce a more cheerful, if temporary, shopping environment for shoppers and retailers.
In order to encourage shoppers to visit Main Square while work is in progress, a regular programme of local press and public relations, newspaper promotions and seasonal events is under way.
Centre manager Jean Weyman said: “The first Christmas was vital for the retailers. We organised a Christmas Grotto in the centre, which proved to be highly successful, attracting over 2,000 children.”
Although every effort has been made to minimise the upheavel and communicate effectively with retailers and Camberley’s shopping public, there is no doubt that refurbishment on this scale is a difficult and, sometimes, expensive affair.
Steve Fisher, manager of Littlewoods and chairman of the Main Square Shopping Association, commented on behalf of the retailers: “Our only concern is inconvenience to customers. We have had problems, especially with obstructions and dust. But before the work began retailers were losing sales and even if this worsens, we know that the long-term benefit is there. Of course, the eventual aim is to put money in tills — none of the retailers would have agreed to the refurbishment if we didn’t feel we’d achieve this.”
Steve Fisher’s views are reflected by Harry Ward of Weatherall Green & Smith, who said: “There is light at the end of the tunnel. The improvements are beginning to take shape and the high quality of the scheme has sparked considerable retail interest in the 30 new units.”
Because Main Square is one of the larger refurbishment programmes currently under way and has such a massive area to cover over, Terry Lyons believes it is impossible to carry out the work without there being difficulties to overcome. “Fortunately the tenants and shoppers have been generally enthusiastic throughout. I think there’s a feeling that we’re all in this together, trying to create a better shopping environment for Camberley,” he declared.
