Work to demolish a disused shopping centre in Chatham High Street is underway. Trafalgar Centre, which closed in 2013, is set to be redeveloped into 175 flats, co-working offices and creative arts studios. Workers were seen moving onto the site on Monday (24 October), with scaffolding and hoarding now in place around the building. It's expected that the demolition will take four months to complete, starting from the High Street frontage before the rest of the site is cleared. Nucleus Arts Centre and Café Nucleus, both located next to the Trafalgar Centre, will remain open as usual during the demolition work.
The 261-space multi-storey car park in Rhode Street, which is set to be partially demolished to provide 152 spaces as part of the redevelopment, is open until further notice. The demolition comes just weeks after the site was put up for sale on the market. It was last sold for £2.87 million in 2020 when Aylesford-based developer Terance Butler Holdings (TBH) acquired it. TBH created plans to redevelop the site, which were then given the go-ahead by Medway Council in August this year. Kent Demolition Company Ltd is carrying out the demolition on behalf of TBH. Terance Butler Holdings was approached for comment but no response was received. Kent's first branch of Lids has opened in the Pentagon Centre in Chatham. The American sportswear chain, which specialises in athletic hats and gear, opened the doors to its new store today (Friday, 28 October). It has taken over the former Claire's branch, which permanently closed last month, creating five new jobs. The shop offers a range of licensed and branded apparel and headwear from major professional sports teams in the NFL (National American Football League), NBA (National Basketball Association), MLB (Major League Baseball) and MLS (Major League Soccer).
It also has an in-store service to customise caps and hats, called Custom Lids, which can be used by shoppers and businesses alike. Lids has been selling sportswear and items for almost 30 years, boasting more than 1,100 stores mainly in the US, Puerto Rico and Canada. The retailer has slowly introduced itself to the UK since 2021, with new stores recently opening in Basildon, Watford and Stoke-on-Trent. Plans to redevelop the former Buzz Bingo in Chatham town centre are being showcased as part of a consultation. The disused bingo hall, on the corner of Union Street and the High Street, is earmarked for 230 flats as a mix of one, two and three-bed flats across two buildings. Proposals also include commercial space and a courtyard podium garden with children's play area for residents and visitors. Donard Living, the developer behind the plans, is launching a public consultation to hear the views of local stakeholders. An exhibition will be taking place at The Salvation Army in Church Street, Chatham from 2pm to 8pm on Tuesday, 1 November. Experts from the project team will be on hand to answer questions throughout the day. Donard Living acquired the old bingo hall, which closed in 2020, with its financial partner Zetland Capital LLP in December last year to redevelop it. Medway Council is also exploring the potential sale of its Union Place car park, located next to the bingo site, as part of the redevelopment.
Councillors were set to approve the closure of the 49-space car park at a Cabinet meeting on 18 October, but a decision has been deferred to a later date. It's expected that the car park would be put on the market in the coming months and sold to the highest bidder, before it permanently closes to motorists in spring next year, according to a Freedom of Information request by Future Chatham. Paul Thornton, spokesperson for Donard Living, said: “We believe these new homes proposals will transform this area of Chatham, breathing new life into a long disused site. "We look forward to sharing our plans with the community.” The developer is also progressing plans for 374 flats at Bardell Wharf in Rochester and recently gained planning permission for 221 flats in Bristol. The consultation for Chatham's Buzz Bingo site runs until 24 November, with a planning application set to follow. Find out more about the plans by clicking here to visit the project website. An American sportswear chain is set to open a new shop in Chatham's Pentagon Centre. Lids, described as the largest retailer specialising in athletic hats and gear, is moving into the former Claire's branch, which closed last month. The store will offer a wide range of licensed and branded apparel and headwear from major professional sports teams in the NFL (National American Football League), NBA (National Basketball Association), MLB (Major League Baseball) and MLS (Major League Soccer). It will also sell products from well-known fashion brands such as Nike, Adidas and New Era. Builders have been seen fitting out the store and a large poster in the shop window has appeared saying: "Lids opening soon. Now hiring."
Five new jobs are being created, with applications currently open for positions including store manager and sales associates. An exact opening date is not yet known. A spokesperson for the Pentagon Centre said: "Completion should be within the next couple of weeks." Lids has been selling sportswear and items for almost 30 years, boasting more than 1,100 stores mainly in the US, Puerto Rico and Canada. The retailer has slowly introduced itself to the UK since 2021, with new stores recently opening in Basildon, Watford and Stoke-on-Trent. It doesn't currently have any stores in Kent, with the closest being located at Lakeside Shopping Centre in Essex. Lids has been approached for comment. |
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