FORGE SHOPPING CENTRE £8 MILLION REFURBISHMENT

A landmark has been reached at The Forge Shopping Centre, Glasgow as the final touches are put to an £8 million refurbishment programme. An exciting modern environment has been created, with full architecturally designed coffer ceilings, bespoke feature lighting fixtures, white quartz stone feature pilasters and new large format tiling to the entire Mall. 

The Forge's importance as a key shopping destination for customers in the East End of Glasgow is reflected in the fact that it regularly draws nearly eight million visitors per annum to its eighty eight outlets.

The Forge is a fully enclosed retail environment with approximately 450,000sq.ft of retail accommodation and car parking spaces for 1,480 vehicles. The Centre was originally constructed in 1987, extended in 2003 and bought by Belfast Office Properties in 2006.

Anchored by Asda, trading from one of Scotland's largest food store retail spaces, The Forge also boasts the presence of leading fashion retailers such as Dunnes Stores, Primark, River Island, New Look, Dorothy Perkins, Burtons, Peacocks, H & M and Bay Trading. Other retailers trading include Clarks, JD Sports, WH Smith, Superdrug, Holland & Barratt, Game and Vodafone.

The recent refurbishment represents a major investment from owners Belfast Office Properties (BOP) who acquired the Centre in October 2006.  It has been welcomed by existing retailers and has attracted new outlets, with outlets such a Peacocks who recently opened a new 10,300sq.ft store to join other new retailers such as 3UK, Core, Brighthouse and independent fashion outlet Soul. Card Factory have also recently opened a new retail unit, existing retailers Bodycare will shortly fit out a new larger retail unit and Birthdays are currently fitting out an adjacent unit which will double the size of their current retail space.

The Centre has been given a major boost with BOP's extensive refurbishment programme and has reinforced the Forge as the prime destination and community resource for East Glasgow.

BOP intend to build on the Forge's expansion with numerous new lettings planned for 2009, considerable interest has been generated among retailers and talks are underway with a number of regional and national multiples who are interested in taking new space at the Forge. 

As part of the next phase of improvements planned for the Forge, a new state-of-the-art Food Court will open on the first floor during 2009, this will allow customers to meet and relax before and after shopping or cinema going, this will be further complemented by extensive newly designed public toilets with modern baby changing facilities.

The Forge currently appeals to a wide catchment area and this will be substantially extended with a series of local infrastructure improvements underway - the M74 extension due to be completed by 2010, the East End Regeneration Route which will provide links to M8 & M80, the new Parkhead Railway Station to be built adjacent to The Forge and the estimated 20,000 new build homes proposed for the area, the development of the Commonwealth Games Athletes Village and finally the new National Indoor Sports Arena which will be a key venue for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.