New Strand Shopping Centre
Encyclopedia
The New Strand Shopping Centre, known locally as 'The Strand', is the main shopping centre or mall in Bootle
, Merseyside
, England
. Built and opened during the 1960s, it was part of a larger Bootle redevelopment during this period, which was also complemented by the establishment of the Girobank
Headquarters in nearby Netherton. The shopping centre was extended during 1997-1998 and completed in November the same year to provide additional retail outlets, as well as additional car parking facilities and improved transportation to the centre. The shopping centre has won a Home Office
award for its efforts in tackling crime, with just a handful of other towns and cities in the North West
gaining the honour.
The shopping centre became infamous
during 1993 as being the scene of the abduction
of toddler
James Bulger
, who was found dead on a railway line two days after going missing while visiting the centre with his mother. Two 10-year-old boys were subsequently found guilty of the murder.
and transport interchange for Merseyrail
, all being completed in November 1998. Additional parking facilities were provided in the form of a new multi storey carpark
which compliments the existing multi story carpark adjacent.
and the surrounding area. Stores include:
running on the Northern Line
, with trains running to Southport
and Liverpool
city centre. Bus links to the Strand became much improved following the extension which took place during 1999, which included a new bus terminal amongst other extensions to the main building.
the building when a chip shop caught fire on 27 October 2008. The woman was trapped inside the TJ Hughes department store as smoke filled the building, and claims she told a store assistant, "don't forget us, will you?" and asked for a Health and Safety officer, but never received the required assistance. Around 1,000 shoppers were evacuated as three fire crews were called to Costara's Fish Bar just after 2 pm and were there for more than three hours.
Bootle
Bootle is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England, and a 'Post town' in the L postcode area. Formally known as Bootle-cum-Linacre, the town is 4 miles to the north of Liverpool city centre, and has a total resident population of 77,640.Historically part of...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Built and opened during the 1960s, it was part of a larger Bootle redevelopment during this period, which was also complemented by the establishment of the Girobank
Girobank
Girobank was a British public sector financial institution founded in 1968 by the General Post Office. Itstarted life as the National Giro but went through several name changes, becoming National Girobank, then Girobank Plc , before merging into Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank...
Headquarters in nearby Netherton. The shopping centre was extended during 1997-1998 and completed in November the same year to provide additional retail outlets, as well as additional car parking facilities and improved transportation to the centre. The shopping centre has won a Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
award for its efforts in tackling crime, with just a handful of other towns and cities in the North West
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
gaining the honour.
The shopping centre became infamous
Infamy
Infamy, in common usage, is notoriety gained from a negative incident or reputation . The word stems from the Latin infamia, antonym of fama ....
during 1993 as being the scene of the abduction
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
of toddler
Toddler
A toddler is a young child, usually defined as being between the ages of one and three. Registered nurse, midwife and author, Robin Barker, states 'Any time from eight months onwards your baby will begin to realise he is a separate person from you...
James Bulger
Murder of James Bulger
James Patrick Bulger was a boy from Kirkby, England, who was murdered on 12 February 1993, when aged two. He was abducted, tortured and murdered by two ten-year-old boys, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables .Bulger disappeared from the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, near Liverpool, while...
, who was found dead on a railway line two days after going missing while visiting the centre with his mother. Two 10-year-old boys were subsequently found guilty of the murder.
Expansion
The Strand saw its first major redevelopment and expansion during 1997-1998, conceived in response to the shortage of larger sized units in Bootle. The redevelopment project consisted of a 100000 square feet (9,290.3 m²) expansion to the existing shopping centre mall, providing new floor space to a host of new retailers, whilst also providing a direct link into a new bus stationBus station
A bus station is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. It is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the roadside, where buses can stop...
and transport interchange for Merseyrail
Merseyrail
Merseyrail is a train operating company and commuter rail network in the United Kingdom, centred on Liverpool, Merseyside. The network is predominantly electric with diesel trains running on the City Line. Two City Line branches are currently being electrified on the overhead wire AC system with...
, all being completed in November 1998. Additional parking facilities were provided in the form of a new multi storey carpark
Parking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
which compliments the existing multi story carpark adjacent.
Stores
With over 130 stores, 'The Strand' is the largest single shopping centre in BootleBootle
Bootle is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England, and a 'Post town' in the L postcode area. Formally known as Bootle-cum-Linacre, the town is 4 miles to the north of Liverpool city centre, and has a total resident population of 77,640.Historically part of...
and the surrounding area. Stores include:
- Marks & SpencerMarks & SpencerMarks and Spencer plc is a British retailer headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, with over 700 stores in the United Kingdom and over 300 stores spread across more than 40 countries. It specialises in the selling of clothing and luxury food products...
- Peacocks
- Tesco (Metro)TescoTesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
- TJ Hughes
- GamestationGamestationGamestation is a chain of UK retail shops selling used and new video games, and was the second-largest specialist video game retailer in the UK until it was bought out by Game in 2007...
Transport links
It is served by the Bootle New Strand railway stationBootle New Strand railway station
Bootle New Strand railway station is a railway station in the centre of Bootle, England. It is on the Northern Line of the Merseyrail network and serves in particular the nearby New Strand Shopping Centre. The platforms are elevated and are reached by ramps from the entrance at street level...
running on the Northern Line
Northern Line (Merseyrail)
The Northern Line is one of the two commuter rail lines operated by Merseyrail in Merseyside, England. The other line is the Wirral Line. A third line of the Merseyrail Network, the City Line, is not owned or operated by Merseyrail, although funded by Merseytravel.The Northern Line passes...
, with trains running to Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
and Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
city centre. Bus links to the Strand became much improved following the extension which took place during 1999, which included a new bus terminal amongst other extensions to the main building.
Criticism
The shopping centre has been criticised for their health and safety procedures, when a disabled woman struggled to evacuateEmergency evacuation
Emergency evacuation is the immediate and rapid movement of people away from the threat or actual occurrence of a hazard. Examples range from the small scale evacuation of a building due to a bomb threat or fire to the large scale evacuation of a district because of a flood, bombardment or...
the building when a chip shop caught fire on 27 October 2008. The woman was trapped inside the TJ Hughes department store as smoke filled the building, and claims she told a store assistant, "don't forget us, will you?" and asked for a Health and Safety officer, but never received the required assistance. Around 1,000 shoppers were evacuated as three fire crews were called to Costara's Fish Bar just after 2 pm and were there for more than three hours.
External links
- http://www.strandshoppingcentre.com/
- http://www.shopbootle.com/html/strand01.html