Work begins on £60m centre revamp

The centre’s owners, British Land, first announced plans for a major refurbishment as part of its 25th anniversary celebrations last March - but plans revealed today have seen the investment rise by £10m - an extra 20 per cent.

The first stage of refurbishment will see both levels of The Arcade, from Marks and Spencer to the central dome, extensively re-modelled, include new balustrades and handrails, redesigned ceiling bulkheads, as well as new seating, lighting, signage and wayfinding.

The works will take place when the centre is closed overnight, and will not affect retailers.

The larger plan will create distinct “districts” within the centre, each with its own character, and complete by the end of next year.

Meadowhall centre director, Darren Pearce, said: “The refurbishment is an important milestone for the centre and over the coming months visitors and staff are going to see some exciting changes taking place. Feedback received to date from shoppers, our retailers and restaurants has been very positive, and everyone is excited about the upgrades

“To ensure the works are completed smoothly and with minimal disruption to visitors, shops and restaurants, we are launching new signage and information points to help communicate what is happening and when. Our customer service team is also fully briefed and we will have additional team members in the malls to answer any questions and assist visitors.”

In January, a review by accountancy firm PwC highlighted the significant economic contribution the centre makes to the Sheffield City Region.

According to the review, in 25 years it has contributed £4.4bn to the regional economy, mostly in wages, pre-tax profits and the knock-on of having the vast majority of its employees living and spending in the Sheffield City Region. It supports one job in every 100 in the area.

Meadowhall’s recent development have included new stores, such as Jack Wills, Diesel, Michael Kors, Kiko Milano, Lush, Goldsmith’s Boutique and Joules.