City Centre Retail

Santander have opened their very large branch at the castle end of Queen St (north side) and have closed their smaller branch almost directly opposite in the lovely art deco building. I hope that building is put to good use. Laura Ashley have also closed and the former Gap building is empty and Size are having a closing down sale meaning that a decent chunk of that end of Queen Street is vacant.

Santander have opened their very large branch at the castle end of Queen St (north side) and have closed their smaller branch almost directly opposite in the lovely art deco building. I hope that building is put to good use. Laura Ashley have also closed and the former Gap building is empty and Size are having a closing down sale meaning that a decent chunk of that end of Queen Street is vacant.

It really highlights how the retail centre of the city has shifted over the last few years doesn't it ? Even though it's a small city centre that end of the city is really away from where all footfall now is, and when you consider there's a shift of employers across town as well (e.g. Admiral) it's a bit of a worry for that part of the street.

I think it will adapt. We might see a few more eateries, a few cheaper shops, but it will find a use (at lower rents!).

A bit of weakening of the ends of Queen Street was inevitable. I'm more concerned by the fact that Cardiff can't seem to support incoming retailers, particularly at the upper mid-market/branded end. We've lost G Star, LK Bennett, a whole slew of branded retailers aimed at men, and we are missing a whole swathe like Whistles, Tommy Hilfiger, Ben Sherman, Ted Baker, French Connection, Gant, Replay, etc. We're also missing the bigger independent fashion retailers you see in many city centres. We've lost a lot of the independent fashion stores (the arcades are nice, and are perhaps more diverse, but aren't such a good bet for clothing anymore). So it means Cardiff is a bit mid-market and value clone town-ish on the fashion front. Would be nice to see a bit more variety (even though I don't shop in expensive places!).

Clothes are boring. What the city centre needs is more cafes, bookshops and gadget/electrical retailers.

You'll probably get your first wish. Almost certainly not the latter two.

I remember a couple of years ago someone wondered whether the Capitol could find a niche as a venue for electronics retailers - a bit like an indoors Tottenham Court Road. Well, Tottenham Court Road's electronics retailers are now nearly all gone. Replaced by coffee shops, Waitrose, food outlets, and a few random shops. Its moved online like books, music, etc.

I think it will adapt. We might see a few more eateries, a few cheaper shops, but it will find a use (at lower rents!).

We are seeing that already. The cinema in the Capitol, Costa in the old Peacocks unit, Artigiano, the proposed hotel bar facing Queen Street when Dominions House finally gets converted, the Parc Lane chip shop, Noodle Box etc etc. I would not be surprised to see the now empty Santander unit become an eaterie.

I welcome the diversification of Queen Street. Up until about 25-30 years ago it was full of cinema's, pubs, clubs and restaurants. Then it underwent a makeover to become almost exclusively retail and became sterile and boring after 6pm. The most successful streets, where people want to be, have a variety of attractions.

In exciting pound shop news, the Poundland next door to Little Waitrose is expanding into the now empty Laura Ashley unit.

Costa in the old Peacocks unit is open.

The Capitol is looking a bit sick still, 3 units closed next to Boots, a few in the main arcade too and Austin Reed is still having a closing down sale and the unit next to it is hosting a temporary art exhibition. Maybe the Premiere cinema will help it out a bit. Probably not that much though.

Halewood Shoes in the Royal Arcade is closing. Was that the oldest surviving shop in the arcade?

Halewood Shoes in the Royal Arcade is closing. Was that the oldest surviving shop in the arcade?

Between Halewood, Wally's and the small sweet shop I'd have thought - they've all been there for as long as I can remember.

In exciting pound shop news, the Poundland next door to Little Waitrose is expanding into the now empty Laura Ashley unit.

And thankfully, someone chose to extend the white painted wooden exterior from Laura Ashley to the existing Poundland frontage, rather than the other way around.