Cinema blow for traders (From Daily Echo)

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Cinema blow for traders

10:27am Monday 29th September 2008 in News Photograph of the Author By Duncan Eaton

What the cinema at the Swan Centre will look like

A HAMPSHIRE town which has had its trade badly hit by roadworks has suffered another major blow.

The Daily Echo can reveal that the launch of Eastleigh’s £25m cinema and leisure complex expected to open for Christmas has been delayed until next Easter.

It is a huge setback, particularly for many small businesses who have been struggling for survival while the town centre has been under siege from huge roadwork disruptions.

Shopkeepers were pinning their hopes on a Christmas cinema opening to kickstart the trading fortunes of the town centre which has been lagging behind its big city neighbour Southampton.

Road resurfacing on Southampton Road – the major approach to the town centre – is due to finish by November 1, which would have given the town plenty of time to get ready for the build up to Christmas.

But after putting up with months of traffic disruption the delay in the cinema complex opening is a bitter pill for the business community to swallow.

A spokesman for a major retailer in the town, who did not wanted to be named, said: “The traders were banking on the cinema and the rest of the leisure complex to give us a Christmas bonanza after putting up with all these horrendous roadworks.”

Steve Dalley, owner of the Eastleigh Sewing Centre, said: “It is bitterly disappointing to hear that we will have to wait until Easter. This is just another death knell for the town.”

He added that the town centre shopping area would die if action was not taken soon to attract more shoppers and he would like to see more concessions on parking.

The delay over the cinema opening has been blamed on steelwork delays and bad weather conditions during the summer.

In a statement Cordwell Leisure, development partner to Eastleigh Council and Swan Shopping Centre owners Scottish Amicable, said that the centrepiece ninescreen Vue Cinema multiplex will open at Easter.

The 125,0000 sq ft development will also include a 20 lane tenpin bowling centre, operated by AMF Bowling, alongside bars and restaurants, including national chain Nandos and Frankie and Bennys, and shops.

Eastleigh council leader Keith House said: “With major projects like this you can never be totally sure that it will come in on time but it is very much on course.”

Cllr House said that the council’s number one priority had been to get the roadworks, which had decimated trade, completed.

Comments(15)

Bill Shatner says...
10:46am Mon 29 Sep 08

Well over to the council now. Maybe in order to make it up to both the shops and shoppers they will reduce or even suspend parking charges over the christmas period in a bid to attract shoppers away from Southampton. I doubt it though as the council would rather see every buisiness in eastleigh pack-up and leave than loose a penny of parking charges.