Cardiff Retail

I see that a new decent looking Italian/pizza restaurant is likely to open at 14 High Street - the old Kitchens (and I think later a temp Welsh gift) shop? Next to Corner Coffee. Another quality food joint at this end of High Street/St Mary Street. It's really turning into the new Mill Lane! There's a planning application in.

I also see that Piano Works is opening at the bottom end of St Mary Street.

JD sports is going in the old Sports Direct unit in St David's. Wonder what this means for the one on Queen Street...

I wish something would happen with the old Lloyds business bank on the corner of Queen Street- it has been empty for years and looks dreadful...

Piano Works is a rebrand of Dirty Martini, same owner, Nightcap group.

The JD Sports on Queen St will close and move to the new St.David's store.

The old Lloyds building does look terrible, I think it could benefit from being demolished and rebuilt. We'll see what happens.

An article on Wales Online about new plans being submitted for the Howell's development. I tend to agree with comments from Cardiff Civic Society about the new middle ('massive' according to WOL) tower. Its design isn't in keeping with the rest of the building and I think it would look odd poking out of the top of the scheme.

Thoughts?

https://www.business-live.co.uk/commercial-property/first-look-massive-11-storey-32737171

I dont really buy this idea that it ruins the views of the city centre from certain locations. Due to its setback from the existing facades it wont be visible at all from street level nearby. And the skyline is hardly iconic - it's not like it blocking the view of St Paul's!

there also needs to be some economic reality - these types of schemes almost always require a significant residential element to make them viable.

I really don't see much of a problem here.

I dont really buy this idea that it ruins the views of the city centre from certain locations. Due to its setback from the existing facades it wont be visible at all from street level nearby. And the skyline is hardly iconic - it's not like it blocking the view of St Paul's!

there also needs to be some economic reality - these types of schemes almost always require a significant residential element to make them viable.

I really don't see much of a problem here.

I largely agree with this but I do think the building could be made less obtrusive by ussing materials more sympathetic to its surroundings. It's not a carbuncle but it could be better.

The idea of anything opening in Cardiff seems even more impressive considering M&S is vacating Swansea City centre. Arguably their most important store?

I remember years back someone from Swansea telling me the big 2 retailers in the centre of Swansea were Debenham's and M&S. Both gone. Even Newport has a proper M&S in the city centre. The Big 2 are probably Boots and Primark in Swansea now.

Presumably more people heading to Cardiff to shop from the west now?

I would guess that the big expansion of retail in Cardiff in 2009 has had a negative effect on Newport and Swansea. There's nothing on the scale of St. David's elsewhere, and whenever a big retailing name opens their 'first store in Wales' in Cardiff, we all know that it'll probably be their only one.

Positively, M&S say they're looking for a replacement full line store on a smaller scale in Swansea, and they did open a replacement retail park store in Newport. Sadly Newport city centre has become a bit of a ghost town since as there's just not much else left, the proximity to Cardiff has definitely hit Newport harder.

The idea of anything opening in Cardiff seems even more impressive considering M&S is vacating Swansea City centre. Arguably their most important store?

I remember years back someone from Swansea telling me the big 2 retailers in the centre of Swansea were Debenham's and M&S. Both gone. Even Newport has a proper M&S in the city centre. The Big 2 are probably Boots and Primark in Swansea now.

Presumably more people heading to Cardiff to shop from the west now?

Newport hasn't had a proper M&S in its city centre since 2013. What it has now is just a FoodHall.

I would guess that the big expansion of retail in Cardiff in 2009 has had a negative effect on Newport and Swansea. There's nothing on the scale of St. David's elsewhere, and whenever a big retailing name opens their 'first store in Wales' in Cardiff, we all know that it'll probably be their only one.

Positively, M&S say they're looking for a replacement full line store on a smaller scale in Swansea, and they did open a replacement retail park store in Newport. Sadly Newport city centre has become a bit of a ghost town since as there's just not much else left, the proximity to Cardiff has definitely hit Newport harder.

Retail expansion? I don't think any city centre can be described as expanding when it comes to retail. The loss of Howell's. Debenham's, and a host of other stores, surely makes it a net contraction. Yes, The St. David's expansion and addition of John Lewis was welcome, though it inevitably seemed to cause other areas of the city centre to lose footfall.

I find myself worrying what would happen if John Lewis ever did decide to close. It would really destroy the city centre.

I gather Barclays Bank are moving their branch at St. David's Centre/Working Street to 17 Queen Street next door to Superdrug later this year, possibly June. This will leave their current large unit empty at the St. David's Way entrance to the St. David's Centre on Working Street. IIRC it was formed out of 3 original shops.

The idea of anything opening in Cardiff seems even more impressive considering M&S is vacating Swansea City centre. Arguably their most important store?

I remember years back someone from Swansea telling me the big 2 retailers in the centre of Swansea were Debenham's and M&S. Both gone. Even Newport has a proper M&S in the city centre. The Big 2 are probably Boots and Primark in Swansea now.

Presumably more people heading to Cardiff to shop from the west now?

Newport hasn't had a proper M&S in its city centre since 2013. What it has now is just a FoodHall.

I would guess that the big expansion of retail in Cardiff in 2009 has had a negative effect on Newport and Swansea. There's nothing on the scale of St. David's elsewhere, and whenever a big retailing name opens their 'first store in Wales' in Cardiff, we all know that it'll probably be their only one.

Positively, M&S say they're looking for a replacement full line store on a smaller scale in Swansea, and they did open a replacement retail park store in Newport. Sadly Newport city centre has become a bit of a ghost town since as there's just not much else left, the proximity to Cardiff has definitely hit Newport harder.

Retail expansion? I don't think any city centre can be described as expanding when it comes to retail. The loss of Howell's. Debenham's, and a host of other stores, surely makes it a net contraction. Yes, The St. David's expansion and addition of John Lewis was welcome, though it inevitably seemed to cause other areas of the city centre to lose footfall.

I find myself worrying what would happen if John Lewis ever did decide to close. It would really destroy the city centre.

St. David's expansion extended the centre to 1.6m square feet and provided a modern, covered mall which attracted a lot of new retailers to the city. Previously unavailable larger, multi floor units replaced generally small shops in The Capitol and Queen's Arcade which were not in demand. There was obviously a reduction in let space in the older centres, and for a while in Queen St, although this has mostly recovered.

Department stores have closed countrywide so I wouldn't say that this is due to a contraction in Cardiff's retail, more of a national change in shopping habits.

As The Capitol and Queen's Arcade are repurposed, Cardiff will still have a very large retail footprint and sadly the polar opposite to Newport and to a degree Swansea.