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Red tape means blue-chip store may abandon move to city

Independent, The (London),  Jun 19, 1998  by GUY JACKSON

Selfridges warned yesterday it might turn its back on Birmingham and chose Glasgow for a new outlet because development of the city's two new shopping centres has been held up by red tape.

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Selfridges, a landmark of London's shopping scene, is in talks with the developers of the pounds 350 million Bull Ring shopping centre and Martineau Galleries, the pounds 450 million scheme to rejuvenate Martineau Square, Priory Square and the Dale House area of the city.

Each scheme will accommodate two major department stores alongside other shops and restaurants, but so far, only Debenhams has signed up and will occupy one of the sites at the Bull Ring . Birmingham has already lost out in attracting John Lewis, which decided to open in Solihull. Work is due to begin soon on the Martineau Galleries scheme, backed by Land Securities, which won outline planning approval from Birmingham City Council last month. And city planners approved the general design of the revamped Bull Ring last week but developer Hammerson still has to submit detailed proposals on matters including landscaping, the height of the buildings and toilet arrangements. Demolition work on the existing Bull Ring is set to start next year, with the whole project due to be completed by 2002. But Mr Brian Marchbank, development director of Selfridges, said the store might not be able to wait that long. "We would want to go with the development that would go ahead first," he said. "But if an option in Glasgow came up first, it may influence our thinking. "We are in contact with both Hammerson and Martineau Galleries and they are keeping us informed of their progress."

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