Scarbrough town centre retail destination set for multi-million pound transformation

A planning application has been submitted for the multi-million pound transformation of The Brunswick shopping centre in Scarborough.

The application has been made by property regeneration and placemaking specialist Scarborough Group International (SGI), which acquired the centre in September 2021, and focuses on creating a more diversified, leisure-led offering.

SGI is planning a major repositioning of the 1990’s-built, Debenhams-anchored shopping centre to create a new leisure-led destination, based around a “modern, high-quality” cinema. The proposals also anticipate a range of other leisure, food and beverage, and ancillary retail uses, all delivered within the existing building envelope.

SGI is working closely with Scarborough Borough Council to help meet its strategic objective of Scarborough becoming the best performing coastal town centre in England by 2025 and the primary economic hub for retail, leisure, learning and living within the Yorkshire coast area.

Accordingly, SGI’s strategy for the scheme has taken the opportunities for positive impacts on the town centre to its core. The plans will improve the building’s relationship with the public realm around it, and create greater permeability in the immediate area.

The strategy also aims to improve visual links to the arrival points from the seafront area and the town’s famous Esplanade, to enhance wayfinding and footfall. The Brunswick’s car park will be retained and upgraded to meet the latest standards.

Opened in July 1990, The Brunswick was once a “thriving” retail destination in the heart of Scarborough town centre. However, a shift in consumer shopping habits, exacerbated by the global pandemic, led to a dramatic decline in footfall and the loss of its anchor tenant, Debenhams.

It is expected that the transformation of The Brunswick will stimulate the regeneration of the wider town centre, create new jobs for local people, and act as a catalyst for further investment.

Mark Jackson, group development director at SGI, commented: “We want to see The Brunswick drive the town centre economy once again, and promote further investment in Scarborough; today marks an important milestone and step forward in the delivery of that vision.

“We are very mindful that The Brunswick is one of the town centre’s key opportunities to support Scarborough Borough Council’s strategic objective of becoming the best performing coastal town centre in England by 2025 and the primary economic hub for retail, leisure, learning and living within the Yorkshire coast area, and we recognise our responsibilities to these aims.”

By Matthew Neville – Correspondent, Bdaily

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