Parkway centre manager outlines Newbury vision

Neil Carter wants to engage with the town's retailers, BID and the town council to drive footfall to the town centre

PARKWAY'S newly appointed centre manager has said it is important for the town as a whole to become a modern shopping experience.

Neil Carter, who spent four years as general manager at the County Mall Shopping Centre in Crawley, was appointed centre manager of Parkway in April.

Talking at a meeting of the Newbury Retail Association at The Dolphin Hotel in Bartholomew Street on Tuesday, Mr Carter outlined his vision for Newbury town centre.

He said: “My role is to engage with the retailers, BID and town council to drive footfall into the town centre.

“There's no point having successful shops in Parkway and empty shops in the Kennet Centre and Northbrook Street - that's not good for the image of the town.”

The centre is currently 75 per cent let by area and Mr Carter expects three or four more retailers and a restaurant to sign up this week.

Parkway, which will house such stores as Debenhams, John Lewis and Topshop, will open on October 27 with a launch that will include ‘the whole town', according to Mr Carter.

The shopping centre will comprise 300,000 sq ft of shops and restaurants, 147 new apartments and a 550-space car park.