Makeover planned for Bath's Georgian shopping arcade The Corridor
One of Bath's original Georgian shopping arcades is scheduled for a makeover.
The owners of The Corridor have submitted plans to refurbish six units within the arcade. If approved the alterations will mean the units could also be combined to create a much larger store if required in future.
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The Corridor
The application to Bath and North East Somerset Council has been made by London- based Insight Architects on behalf of the arcade's owner.
Insight said: "The key objective behind this submission is to improve the quality of the retail trading space in the subject units in The Corridor in order to make the units more attractive to future retail tenants.
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"Unfortunately, in recent time there has been a gradual decline in tenant take-up of retail space within The Corridor which indeed has resulted in a number of current vacant retail units."
The Corridor links Union Street and Union Passage with High Street. Opened in 1825 and designed by Henry Edmund Goodridge, it is one of the earliest surviving examples of a Georgian retail arcade outside London.
The last major changes were made to the arcade in the 1970s after it was the target of an IRA bomb attack in December 1974.
As well as refurbishing units five to ten, the application also seeks to make the arcade more welcoming and attractive to shoppers with fresh paint work, improved lighting, the removal of pigeon netting and new signs.
The application said: "Enhancements to the arcade and the immediate environment are intended to revitalise the arcade and aid in making it a more welcoming and attractive retail destination. In addition, the proposals aim to reinforce the connection of the arcade to its local streetscape."
Comments
by rogerh3
Tuesday, January 15 2013, 12:09AM
“It's unfortunate that units have been permitted to combine in the past. Allowing any more to do so should be resisted. Perhaps the way to increase its attractiveness to tenants is to lower rents - I see no. 5-6 is available for a mere £125,000 pa (+ VAT and with another £50,000 pa rates).”
by Imp-Act
Monday, January 14 2013, 10:16PM
“ON LINE SHOPPING WILL TAKE OVER 50% OF TO-DAYS RETAIL OUTLET STORES IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE! ie Jessops and now HMV all going down because of high running costs and the ON LINE sales beating them out!
WHY waste cash on a building/s that costs a fortune to run via Rates, heat, staff, electric storage etc. etc. etc. when all is required is a nice big wearhouse and a small staff to take and send out the orders! God! Even the governments have 'killed off' industry by outsouring it to 'other' places and so freeing up the land to build homes for our imagrants!”
by Imp-Act
Monday, January 14 2013, 8:34PM
“Maybe some more torist type shops selling china made garbidge along side some more over priced cafes and tea shops.
The best thing to do with this area is to demolish it and turn it in to new houses for the poor imagrants that are flooding the land! Romania, Bulgaria, Poland etc. are expanding their territories at an alarming rate and Bath should lead the way by helping to house a few hundred!THANK GOD FOR ONLINE SHOPPING and a nice house in the sticks!!!!”
by jezer
Monday, January 14 2013, 2:47PM
“Shock horror! I agree with Malcolm.”
by mcupis
Monday, January 14 2013, 1:30PM
“You see Chappers, I KNEW I'd be able to talk some sense into you!”
by joejohn
Monday, January 14 2013, 1:28PM
“Maybe Tesco will move in there”
by Dave_Weston
Monday, January 14 2013, 10:57AM
“Would a big name want it - Jessops store will be on the market fairly soon so someone wanting a reasonable sized store would surely go for the proximity to Southgate with its parking and public transport links rather than the quieter tourist oriented area around the Guildhall and Abbey.
Would be nice to see it tidied up though and the netting gone. I wonder if it would make a reasonable location for an artisans "market" style set up whereby local artists and craftspeople could have a stall selling their wares for less than the price of an individual shop, but where they also generate footfall for each other. There will remain a place for good quality crafts products to be purchased face to face even as purchasing manufactured boxes gradually loses ground to the online shopping.”
by capndave
Monday, January 14 2013, 10:34AM
“In addition, the proposals aim to reinforce the connection of the arcade to its local streetscape…
..
Architect speak! It's gonna be a bus route.
Twas a good & interesting nite on Friday as well as intriguing. MC can now be considered a member of the Multi Coloured clan.”
by Chappers
Monday, January 14 2013, 10:03AM
“The Bell night has had an effect, I actually agree with Malcolm! This is all part of the retail jig saw, re-develop Southgate as focal point, and it will lower footfall and spend in other parts of the centre. As units close, footfall reduces further, and it becomes a downward spiral. Maybe the simple fact is that, in Austerity UK, the amount of shops able to trade profitably will decrease, and they will tend to concentrate in one area, so other parts of the City will decline. I suspect there will be more High Street casualties in the coming year, creating more vacant retail space”
by mcupis
Monday, January 14 2013, 9:07AM
“Fundamentally then this would completely change the Corridor by making it suitable for use by a single large High Street name, rather than a collection of small independent shops.
I hope the Council reject this.”