Next is first name to sign up for Barnsley 'regeneration' mall Glass Works

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Jan 30, 2018

Barnsley’s £130 million development, The Glass Works is proceeding with the glass-covered mall set to be a major shopping destination in the town. And Next has just signed up as its first retail tenant.

Despite sluggish sales at its physical stores, the retailer continues to be extremely active in opening stores at new/redeveloped malls and retail parks. Its Glass Works location will cover 20,000 sq ft in the two-storey centre with the new site set to replace its current Barnsley store that’s in the Alhambra shopping centre.

The Glass works is a major regeneration project for Barnsley and is being funded by the local council. Covering 3.8 hectares, it’s currently in the middle of phase one of its construction and is due to open this spring. Work on phase two, which will include 26 new retail units, will start this autumn. The entire development should be complete in 2020.

Signing up Next is good news as the retailer has been shown to attract other names to any development it’s part of. And the local council leader also said that the retailer opening such a large store there will also improve the overall fashion offer in the town.