Work completed on £60m refurbishment of Meadowhall

Work has now completed on the £60m refurbishment of Meadowahll shopping centre in Sheffield.

This announcement marks the end of a two-year programme, during which £40m was invested in store upgrades by more than 70 brands, including existing and new additions to Meadowhall’s line-up.

The refurbishment has comprised the creation of four new districts; the reduction of columns and bulkheads to create lighter, brighter malls, with new glazing, improved lighting and the addition of new customer seating.

New brands added include online retailer Joe Browns, Michael Kors, Flannels, Urban Decay, Skinny Dip, Tag Heuer, iSmash, Diesel, Joules, Jack Wills, Neal’s Yard, Nespresso, T2, schuh Kids, Pret a Manger, GBK, Barburrito, and Tapas Revolution.

Retailers Primark, River Island, Sports Direct, Build-A-Bear, JD Sports, Virgin Holidays and The Entertainer have all upsized or increased their store size as part of the revamp.

Over 1,200 jobs were created to deliver the refurbishment, with 35% of the workforce living in Sheffield and 41% overall from the Sheffield City Region.

British Land, joint owner of Meadowhall, also revealed that almost 50% of the £60m spend has been awarded to SMEs, with 70% of the project spend made within 25 miles of Meadowhall, and 55% being spent in the Sheffield City Region.

Local companies employed on the transformation include Dearneside, SCS Group, EE Ingleton Engineering, Clearline, EMR and the Ron Hull Group.

Charles Maudsley, head of retail, leisure and residential for British Land, joint-owner of Meadowhall, said: “The transformation we have achieved at Meadowhall is a great example of how we have listened to our customers and responded to their needs to create space that works for shoppers and enables retailers to thrive in an omni-channel world.

“It also demonstrates the value we place in working in partnership with the community to deliver significant, long-lasting benefits to the Sheffield City Region.”

Claire Barber, head of Meadowhall for British Land, added: “Meadowhall is a very different place as a result of our investment. It is lighter and brighter; the space is more modern and the offer is significantly enhanced so it is the first choice for shoppers across the region.

“Together with our longer term plans for the centre, Meadowhall has a great future as one of the leading retail and leisure destinations in the UK.” The refurbishment of Meadowhall will be followed by the development of a Leisure Hall, which was granted planning consent in a unanimous vote by Sheffield City Council’s planning committee in September.

The £300m extension will add 330,000 sq ft of new catering and leisure to Meadowhall, as well as enhanced public realm and other amenities.

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