A shopping centre, which once housed up to 25 shops, is being demolished. A number of the remaining businesses are reportedly struggling to find new sites and must close by Tuesday, April 7.
The Longfield Centre, in Prestwich, is being demolished in two phases as part of a £100 million regeneration project. The first phase, which involves the library building, is under way while the second phase will remove the remaining retail units. The 60-year-old shopping centre will be transformed into a market, food hall and new homes, with work expected to be finished by the summer.
As reported by the Manchester Evening News, Prestwich Library will shut to the public on Friday, March 13, while the remaining businesses in the shopping centre will close down by April 7. However, locals argue the project will cause a significant drop in footfall due to enforced road closures in the area.
Meanwhile, the eight remaining businesses at the centre, which once housed around 25 shops, are now struggling to find new venues. The project is expected to be finished by June 25.
A number of businesses around the Longfield Centre have recently confirmed their departures, including Iceland and the Bury Hospice shop. Last September, the centre lost Percival’s of Prestwich after 45 years in business, while Woodpeckers Pet Store recently confirmed it has been given a notice by Bury Council to leave by early April.
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Sean Roche, manager of Panama Hatty’s, warned the area could become a “ghost town” while the project is carried out. However, town bosses argue it will bring long-term benefits to the area, including better community spaces and improved transport facilities.
The £100 million regeneration project is being delivered by Prestwich Regeneration LLP, a joint venture between developer Muse and Bury Council. They said it will “overhaul the dated Longfield Centre site, revitalising Prestwich centre with shops, community facilities, public green spaces and much-needed new homes”.
Richard Kelly, Muse’s project director, said: “This is a really exciting time for Prestwich and the ongoing regeneration of the Longfield Centre.”
