"New vision" for Scarborough shopping centre as acquisition sparks leisure plans

A Yorkshire property company has announced that it is planning to revamp a shopping centre in the middle of Scarborough after acquiring the property.

Scarborough Partnership Ltd, part of Scarborough Group International (SGI), has acquired The Brunswick Shopping Centre in Scarborough town centre for an undisclosed sum.

The acquisition will see SGI return to the shopping centre market after a long period of focusing primarily on office and residential assets.

The Brunswick Shopping Centre, on Westborough, is the only enclosed shopping and leisure centre in the whole of Scarborough.

SGI is now planning to incorporate leisure and food outlets into the centre as it develops a “new vision”.

Scott McCabe, director at SGI, commented: “Our acquisition of The Brunswick Shopping Centre is fully aligned with SGI’s strategy of regenerating our former industrial heartlands across the north of England, as demonstrated by our flagship projects at Middlewood Locks, Salford, Thorpe Park, Leeds, Sheffield Digital Campus and Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park.

“There is a widely held perception that the Northern Powerhouse is constrained to the major cities across the north of England. The borough of Scarborough has a population of 108,757 and is a popular seaside resort with over 10.2m trips taken every year, contributing £837.1m to the regional economy.

“As our name suggests, we have strong ties with the town and we see this project as an opportunity to really put Scarborough on the map.

“We are therefore keen to work closely with the council to explore ways in which we can deploy our expertise of creating vibrant, mixed-use communities to help breathe new life into the shopping centre in order to attract more people to the town.”

Steve Siddons, leader of Scarborough Borough Council, commented: “This is brilliant news for Scarborough.

“Having an organisation of the calibre of SGI with their knowledge, drive, success, and track record, investing in our town centre is game changing and a real endorsement of the exciting vision outlined in the Scarborough Blueprint.

“We are looking forward to working in partnership with Scarborough Partnerships Ltd to drive forward the Brunswick which is at the heart of our town centre, including exploring leisure uses with perhaps a cinema operator in the Brunswick.”

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