A POPULAR shopping centre will shut “indefinitely” as more than 30 store owners see their tenancies scrapped overnight.
The Square Shopping Centre in Birmingham‘s Priory Square has been temporarily closed following a fire risk assessment last week.
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Stunned shoppers were told to exit the building while vendors were handed a “very vague” letter about waiting for further updates.
In a crushing blow, it was officially announced the centre, which houses everything from retail giants to pubs, would be shuttered “indefinitely”.
The building owners, Hammerson, revealed there was a “high fire safety risk”.
In a letter, as reported by Birmingham Live, the developer said: “We have been continuing to review the situation at Priory Square.
“Since the last update, we have received the written recommendations from the assessors, following the annual fire risk assessment (FRA) undertaken by them on March 26.
“It has identified several aspects of Priory Square which, in combination, represent a high fire safety risk. The findings have confirmed our decision to close Priory Square last Tuesday.
“We have been actively working to establish the nature of the extent of the remedial works required in order to reduce the risk. However, it is clear that the improvements and mitigations required for safe reopening are materially beyond what is reasonably practicable to implement.
“This would include the necessary vacation of Priory Square for a prolonged period of time to upgrade the electrical system.
“Following our careful review, and with the safety of all our tenants and members of the public as a priority, we have taken the decision that the only option is to close Priory Square indefinitely.”
Business owners have since voiced their fears surrounding the sudden and shocking closure.
RETAIL PAIN IN 2025
The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury’s hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April.
A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024.
Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: “The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025.”
Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
“By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer’s household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020.”
Elmira, who co-owns the Indonesian coffee shop Ngopi with her husband Birama, said: “I’m not good, we just got the last update from management to say we will be closed indefinitely.
“The shop is like my baby, it’s my second baby. We’ve been open since 2018 and would be celebrating seven years in July.
“We have massive expectations because I think we’re the only Indonesian restaurant and coffee shop right now so my community will be very sad if I can’t open.”
Vendors Jade and Dan Yeomans, who run Auld Omens in the Oasis Market, added: “We’re in bits. Nobody knows anything.
“It’s rough, it’s very rough. This is everything for us, we’ve worked so solidly for the last nine months, we’re still building.
“It’s so scary, it’s our entire income and it’s our second home.”
Brad Cureton, 24, the manager at Fallout, explained: “I can confidently say that Oasis Market isn’t just a fashion store, it’s a community of people that work hard and love and support each other.
“People have always spoken highly of how the Oasis Market is a staple in Birmingham and now is the time to show that support to keep us alive.”
A spokesperson for Priory square added: “As part of the ongoing management of Priory Square, we have now received findings from the annual fire risk assessment.
“Unfortunately, improvements required to mitigate the level of identified risk are materially beyond what is reasonably practicable to implement and would need the occupiers to vacate Priory Square for a prolonged period.
“Following careful review, and with the safety of all tenants and the public a priority, the only option is to close Priory Square indefinitely.
“This difficult decision has not been taken lightly, and we have begun to actively engage with tenants.”
Meanwhile, Hammerson previously revealed huge regeneration plans at the site which would see up to 1,300 homes built.
Full list of stores affected by indefinite closure
- B&M
- Cash Generator
- Gadget Swap
- HMV Vault
- Phone Giant
- The Phone Shop
- The Oasis
- Directions
- Dress 4 Less
- Harvies
- Shoezone
- Street Wear
- Baguette World
- Baguettes 4 Less
- Big John’s Pizza
- Coffee Time
- DFC Chicken
- Drink Stop
- Makan
- NGOPI
- Ocean Fish Bar
- Subway
- Escape Hunt
- Simply Gifted
- Long Nails
- Sabina City
- Savers
- Tech City
- British Heart Foundation
- HOET
- Incensed
- Full Circle Services
HIGH STREET STRUGGLES
It comes as other retailers, both independent and industry giants, continue to struggle.
Dozens of shops are set to close across the country before the end of the month in the latest blow to UK high streets.
Just a few months in to 2025 and it’s already proving to be another tough year for many major brands.
Rising living costs – which mean shoppers have less cash to burn – and an increase in online shopping has battered retail in recent years.
Just this week former staple of the high street Quiz crashed into administration with the immediate closure of 23 stores.
New Look bosses made the decision to axe nearly 100 branches as they battle challenges linked to Autumn Budget tax changes.
Approximately a quarter of the retailer’s 364 stores are at risk when their leases expire.
This equates to about 91 stores, with a significant impact on New Look’s 8,000-strong workforce.
It’s understood the latest drive to accelerate closures is driven by the upcoming increase in National Insurance contributions for employers.
The move, announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in October, is expected to hit retailers hard – and the British Retail Consortium has predicted these changes will create a £2.3billion bill for the sector.
Meanwhile, the WHSmith brand name looks set to vanish from British high streets after 230 years.
In a fresh update, Boots UK also told The Sun that 253 stores have now shut as part of cost-cutting plans.
And, Homebase launched a big closing down sale as two more stores will shut amid 35 closures this month.
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