Bargate Centre
Encyclopedia
Southampton City Centre
Southampton City Centre is the commercial and organisational centre of the City of Southampton, and the transport hub of the city. Because Southampton is on the South Coast of England, the city centre is not at the geometric centre of the city, but at the southern extremity.The traditional heart...
of Southampton, England, and is a small mall that was opened in the late 1980s. It takes its name from the adjacent Bargate
Bargate
The Bargate is a building in the city centre of Southampton, England. Constructed in Norman times as part of the fortified walled city, the Bargate was the main point of entry and exit to and from the north. Since Southampton is on the south coast, this made the Bargate the main gateway to the city...
, part of the ancient city walls and one of Southampton's most famous landmarks.
The Bargate Centre mainly contains small independent shops and fashion boutiques, however the Game
GAME (retailer)
The Game Group plc is a British video games retail company. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE SmallCap Index....
store is now closed. It is set out over two levels and to a very simple design of a single mall leading to an atrium although there is an internet cafe on the lower ground floor of the atrium
Atrium
Atrium may refer to:*Atrium , a large open space within a building usually with a glass roof*Atrium , microscopic air sacs in lungs*Atrium , an anatomical structure of the heart* Atrium of the ventricular system of the brain...
. Also off this atrium is the largest unit in the centre - a SegaPARK gaming arcade. The anchor store
Anchor store
In retail, an anchor store, draw tenant, anchor tenant, or key tenant is one of the larger stores in a shopping mall, usually a department store or a major retail chain....
for the mall was Shakeaway, however due to loss of popularity they have opened another store in The Mall Southampton
The Mall Southampton
The Marlands Shopping Mall was opened on 5 September 1991. At the time, the Marlands Shopping Mall was the largest shopping centre in Southampton and the first significant shopping centre in the city , however it is now dwarfed by...
which is a more popular mall in comparison to Bargate Mall.
The Bargate Centre also contains a multi storey car park.
Unlike a lot of shopping centres from this era, the Bargate Centre has never had a major refurbishment.
While it lacks the mainstream popularity of the nearby WestQuay and The Mall Southampton
The Mall Southampton
The Marlands Shopping Mall was opened on 5 September 1991. At the time, the Marlands Shopping Mall was the largest shopping centre in Southampton and the first significant shopping centre in the city , however it is now dwarfed by...
shopping centres, the Bargate Centre is popular with teenagers due to the alternative fashion stores and gaming arcade.