The Broadway opens its doors to Bradford
The Broadway shopping centre in Bradford has opened its doors to the public for the first time. At 570,000 square feet, it is the largest retail centre to open in the UK this year.
Owned by Meyer Bergman and managed by Westfield, the £260 million scheme has signed up over 30 retailers and dining outlets new to Bradford including H&M, Superdry, Accessorize and Paperchase. In addition, Debenhams will become the first department store to operate in Bradford in over twenty years.
Th centre has also enabled existing Bradford retailers such as Marks & Spencer, Next and Topshop/Topman to expand into larger premises. The Broadway will include over 70 shops, restaurants, a food court and 1,300 parking spaces.
Peter Miller, chief operating officer at Westfield UK & Europe, said: “The opening of The Broadway marks a fantastic day for Bradford. We are so proud that the centre is now open and ready to serve Bradford’s shoppers. This development will bring huge regeneration to the city centre in the form of increased footfall and retail sales to the benefit of local businesses, additional jobs, as well as acting as a catalyst for further inward investment which is already matching The Broadway’s.”
The Broadway is predicted by CACI to increase catchment spend potential by 78%, whilst boosting footfall across the city by 40%. It is expected that The Broadway will propel Bradford from 85th to 26th in the CACI UK retail rankings and make Bradford the third largest retail destination in Yorkshire.
The Broadway has created around 2,500 retail and associated permanent jobs, together with around 1,500 jobs during the construction phase.
Bradford Council Leader, Cllr David Green, said: “The opening of The Broadway shopping centre is a real landmark for the city and it’s great to see the enthusiasm exuding from the top retailers who have demonstrated their confidence in Bradford.”