MetroCentre
Encyclopedia
The MetroCentre is a shopping centre in the United Kingdom. Located in Gateshead
on a former industrial site, close to the River Tyne. Metrocentre opened in stages with the first phase opening on 28 April 1986 and the official opening was on 14 October 1986. It has over 340 shops occupying 2089000 square feet (194,074.5 m²) of retail floor space, making it the largest shopping centre in the United Kingdom based on gross retail area. Additional retail space is available in the adjoining retail park which houses larger shops.
Metrocentre has five main malls; red, green, blue, yellow and central. It also has themed shopping areas; The Village, formerly known as the Antiques Village, The Forum, formerly known as the Roman Forum, and The Studio, formerly known as the Mediterranean Village, and houses over 50 restaurants and cafes.
The first phase of Metrocentre was opened on 28th April 1986 - the red mall. At the time it featured a large Carrefour
supermarket, which later became Gateway
and subsequently Asda
- an identical pattern followed by the Merry Hill
Carrefour which opened in the same year. Metrocentre also featured the first out of town Marks & Spencer
.
In the 1990s, Asda
moved from Metrocentre to a larger stand-alone store nearby, facilitating the redevelopment of the Red Mall.
Metrocentre's construction was financed by the Church Commissioners of England, and was masterminded by Sir John Hall's company, Cameron Hall Developments, the ground upon which it is built was purchased for a mere £100,000 in the early '70s. Access to the development was facilitated by an urban development grant from the Department of the Environment
and the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead
. In October 1995, the centre was sold to Capital Shopping Centres for £364m, although the Church Commissioners retained a 10% stake.
Reflecting its Church of England origins, Metrocentre is one of the few European shopping centres to have its own chapel
and resident full-time chaplain
. Services are held on Sunday afternoons, with special services on occasions such as Mothering Sunday
and Remembrance Sunday
.
The refurbishment programme also included a new Public Transport Interchange at the end of the Blue Mall. It replaced the old bus station and was intended to provide improved bus links to many parts of North East England
and accommodate coach services from elsewhere in the UK. The new interchange features electronic display boards and a new waiting room at the MetroCentre railway station
. Metrocentre is not directly connected to the Tyne & Wear Metro System though regular bus shuttle
services provide connections to Monument
, Central Station
and Gateshead
Metro stations. The main line rail link also provides direct access to neighbouring Newcastle upon Tyne
city centre. (see Transport Links below).
announced plans to redevelop the centre's Yellow Mall. The Metroland indoor funfair closed in 2008 and the area has been reconstructed to become the Metrocentre Qube. With the first phase completed, the Qube contains branches of YO! Sushi
and Pizza Express
. A new Odeon cinema (relocated from the Blue Mall) opened in December 2009 and includes 12 digital screens including multiple 3D screens and an IMAX Digital, the first in the north east of England. The NAMCO FUN SCAPE is a family entertainment centre (including a new ten-pin bowling
alley) and an assortment of restaurants including Nando's
. The Qube exterior is made from clad zinc and glass to distinguish it as the entertainment part of the centre.
Major fashion retailers include British Home Stores, Next, Primark
, Topshop
/Topman
, H&M
, New Look, River Island
, Zara
, USC
, Lacoste, All Saints
, Van Mildert, Tucci
, Laura Ashley
, Karen Millen
, Kurt Geiger, French Connection
, Guess, G-Star RAW and JD Sports
. In late 2011, the fourth Forever 21
store is due to open in the UK at Metrocentre.
Other major retailers include Argos
, HMV, W H Smith
, Jessops, Boots, Carphone Warehouse, Modelzone
and Lush
. In Autumn 2010 the first TK Maxx/Homesense opened on the site of the old Odeon cinema in the Blue Mall.
On 25 September 2010 the region's second Apple Store was opened at Metrocentre.
The majority of restaurants are located in the MetroCentre Qube, a recently redeveloped area in the Yellow Mall containing bars and restaurants. These include Zizzi
, Frankie and Benny's, Nandos, Pizza Express
, Big Lukes, Yo! Sushi
and in 2011, Wagamama
. Other restaurants located in the centre include McDonald's
, Pizza Hut
, KFC
, Burger King
and Wetherspoons
.
The centre's leisure facilities consist of a 12 screen Odeon
cinema opened in 2010, with VIP lounge and an IMAX
screen, and the Namco Funscape, which is an indoor amusement arcarde including a dodgem ride and 18 lane 10-pin bowling alley. All of these facilities are located in the MetroCentre Qube area of the redeveloped Yellow Mall. The Odeon cinema was originally located in the Blue Mall.
. Metroland opened in February 1988 at a cost of £20 million. The park featured a roller coaster
, Ferris wheel
, pirate ship
, waltzer
s, a miniature railway
and dodgem cars among its rides
. Its closure made way for redevelopment of the Yellow Mall, including a new Odeon cinema, replacing the existing multiplex in the Blue Mall. On the final weekend of operation (19 & 20 April 2008) the park held the 'Last Ride weekend' where the admission price was £5 for the whole day with unlimited access to all the rides. The park finally closed at 8:00pm on Sunday 20 April, despite strong local opposition and petitions raising around 4,000 signatures against the closure. Proceeds from the last night of operation went to charity.
, Toys R Us, NEXT Home and Pets at Home
. McDonald's
and Pizza Hut
are both situated to the south of the Retail Park site (in addition to other sites for both restaurants in Metrocentre itself). Until August 2007 the retail park was not actually under the ownership of the Metrocentre Partnership; it was purchased for £82.5 million.
and Harvester Restaurants
. The site is due for completion in late 2012.
was rebuilt in the mid-1990s with an enclosed waiting area and new access ramps reserved exclusively for buses and taxis. It is connected to Gateshead Metro station by the regular X66 MetroCentre Shuttle bus service and to Newcastle Central Station
via the centre's own National Rail
station on the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway
.
Major bus links include:
is on the Tyne Valley Line, which provides regular services to Newcastle
Central station
, Sunderland Central
, Carlisle
, Middlesbrough
and Northumberland
, with a twice daily service to Glasgow
, Scotland
, via Dumfries
.
. Alternatively, it is possible to travel by ferry to North Shields
from Scandinavia and the Netherlands.
Gateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
on a former industrial site, close to the River Tyne. Metrocentre opened in stages with the first phase opening on 28 April 1986 and the official opening was on 14 October 1986. It has over 340 shops occupying 2089000 square feet (194,074.5 m²) of retail floor space, making it the largest shopping centre in the United Kingdom based on gross retail area. Additional retail space is available in the adjoining retail park which houses larger shops.
Origins
The first phase of Metrocentre was opened on 28th April 1986 - the red mall. At the time it featured a large Carrefour
Carrefour
Carrefour S.A. is an international hypermarket chain headquartered in Levallois-Perret, France. It is one of the largest hypermarket chains in the world...
supermarket, which later became Gateway
Somerfield
Somerfield was a chain of small to medium sized supermarkets operating in the United Kingdom. The company was taken over by the Co-operative Group on 2 March 2009 in a £1.57 billion deal, creating the UK's fifth largest food retailer. The name is currently being phased out and replaced by the...
and subsequently Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
- an identical pattern followed by the Merry Hill
Merry Hill Shopping Centre
Westfield Merry Hill is a shopping centre in Brierley Hill near Dudley, West Midlands, England. It was developed between 1985 and 1990, with several expansion and renovation projects taking place since. The original developers and owners were Richardson Developments but the Centre has had a number...
Carrefour which opened in the same year. Metrocentre also featured the first out of town Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer
Marks and Spencer plc is a British retailer headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, with over 700 stores in the United Kingdom and over 300 stores spread across more than 40 countries. It specialises in the selling of clothing and luxury food products...
.
In the 1990s, Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
moved from Metrocentre to a larger stand-alone store nearby, facilitating the redevelopment of the Red Mall.
Metrocentre's construction was financed by the Church Commissioners of England, and was masterminded by Sir John Hall's company, Cameron Hall Developments, the ground upon which it is built was purchased for a mere £100,000 in the early '70s. Access to the development was facilitated by an urban development grant from the Department of the Environment
Department of the Environment
Department of the Environment or Department for the Environment may refer to:-Australia:* Department of the Environment and Water Resources...
and the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead
Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead
The Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead is a metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. It is named after its largest town, Gateshead, but also spans the towns of Rowlands Gill, Whickham, Blaydon and Ryton; suburban areas include Felling, Pelaw, Dunston and Low Fell.It is bordered...
. In October 1995, the centre was sold to Capital Shopping Centres for £364m, although the Church Commissioners retained a 10% stake.
Reflecting its Church of England origins, Metrocentre is one of the few European shopping centres to have its own chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
and resident full-time chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
. Services are held on Sunday afternoons, with special services on occasions such as Mothering Sunday
Mothering Sunday
Mothering Sunday is a Christian festival celebrated throughout Europe that falls on the 4th Sunday in Lent. Secularly it became a celebration of motherhood. It is increasingly being called Mother's Day, although in countries other than the UK and Ireland that holiday has other origins...
and Remembrance Sunday
Remembrance Sunday
In the United Kingdom, 'Remembrance Sunday' is held on the second Sunday in November, which is the Sunday nearest to 11 November Armistice Day. It is the anniversary of the end of hostilities in the First World War at 11 a.m...
.
Malls and Transport Interchange
ASDA's move out of the main centre was planned so that its former store could be demolished to make way for an extension and refurbishment of the Red Mall. The new Red Mall, anchored by a new Debenhams department store, opened on 6 October 2004.The refurbishment programme also included a new Public Transport Interchange at the end of the Blue Mall. It replaced the old bus station and was intended to provide improved bus links to many parts of North East England
North East England
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
and accommodate coach services from elsewhere in the UK. The new interchange features electronic display boards and a new waiting room at the MetroCentre railway station
MetroCentre railway station
MetroCentre railway station is a railway station that serves the MetroCentre shopping and leisure complex in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. It is located on the Tyne Valley Line from Newcastle upon Tyne to Carlisle, and is managed by Northern Rail....
. Metrocentre is not directly connected to the Tyne & Wear Metro System though regular bus shuttle
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
services provide connections to Monument
Monument Metro station
Monument is a principal station on the underground section of the Tyne and Wear Metro system and is used by almost 6 million passengers per year. It is named after Grey's Monument, which stands directly above the station...
, Central Station
Central Station Metro station
Newcastle Central Station is a underground station on the Tyne and Wear Metro in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is located below Newcastle railway station, from which the Metro station gets its name. There are entrances to it from both inside and outside the main line station...
and Gateshead
Gateshead Interchange
Gateshead Interchange is a transport interchange in the centre of the town of Gateshead, England. It is served by the Tyne and Wear Metro, whose station is underground, as well as local bus services...
Metro stations. The main line rail link also provides direct access to neighbouring Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
city centre. (see Transport Links below).
Metrocentre Qube
On 30 November 2006, centre owner Capital Shopping CentresCapital Shopping Centres
Capital Shopping Centres Group plc is a United Kingdom-based Real Estate Investment Trust , largely focused on shopping centre management and development. Formerly named Liberty International plc, it changed its name to that of its major subsidiary in May 2010 after demerging its Capital & Counties...
announced plans to redevelop the centre's Yellow Mall. The Metroland indoor funfair closed in 2008 and the area has been reconstructed to become the Metrocentre Qube. With the first phase completed, the Qube contains branches of YO! Sushi
Yo! Sushi
YO! Sushi is a British restaurant chain which was started in 1997 and is owned by Quilvest and the YO! Sushi Senior Management team. YO! Sushi specialises in delivering sushi to customers using the Japanese style 'kaiten' conveyor belt method...
and Pizza Express
Pizza Express
PizzaExpress is a restaurant group with over 400 restaurants across the United Kingdom and 40 overseas in China, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan and the Middle East. It was founded in 1965 by Peter Boizot.In Ireland, PizzaExpress trades under the name Milano....
. A new Odeon cinema (relocated from the Blue Mall) opened in December 2009 and includes 12 digital screens including multiple 3D screens and an IMAX Digital, the first in the north east of England. The NAMCO FUN SCAPE is a family entertainment centre (including a new ten-pin bowling
Ten-pin bowling
Ten-pin bowling is a competitive sport in which a player rolls a bowling ball down a wooden or synthetic lane with the objective of scoring points by knocking down as many pins as possible.-Summary:The lane is bordered along its length by semicylindrical channels Ten-pin bowling (commonly just...
alley) and an assortment of restaurants including Nando's
Nando's
Nando's is a casual dining restaurant group originating from South Africa with a Portuguese/Mozambican theme. Founded in 1987, Nando's operates in thirty countries on five continents....
. The Qube exterior is made from clad zinc and glass to distinguish it as the entertainment part of the centre.
Shops and food/drink
Many large retail chains are represented in the centre. It is anchored by 3 main department stores:- Marks and Spencer (their first out of town store)
- DebenhamsDebenhamsDebenhams plc is a British retailer operating under a department store format in the UK, Ireland and Denmark, and franchise stores in other countries. The Company was founded in the eighteenth century as a single store in London and has now grown to around 160 shops...
- House of FraserHouse of FraserHouse of Fraser is a British department store group with over 60 stores across the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was established in Glasgow, Scotland in 1849 as Arthur and Fraser. By 1891 it was known as Fraser & Sons. The company grew steadily during the early 20th century, but after the Second...
Major fashion retailers include British Home Stores, Next, Primark
Primark
Primark is a clothing retailer, operating over 223 stores in Ireland , the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Portugal and Belgium...
, Topshop
Topshop
Topshop is a British clothes retailer with shops in over 20 countries and online operations in a number of its markets. Its sales come primarily from women's clothing and fashion accessories...
/Topman
Topman
TOPMAN is the stand-alone fashion business counterpart of Topshop that caters exclusively to men’s clothing. A part of the Arcadia Group, which also owns Burton, Miss Selfridge, Wallis, Evans, British Home Stores and Dorothy Perkins, Topman has a chain of high-street men's clothing stores located...
, H&M
H&M
H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB is a Swedish retail-clothing company, known for its fast-fashion clothing offerings for women, men, teenagers and children....
, New Look, River Island
River Island
River Island is one of Britain's best known high street fashion brands and can be found in most cities across the UK. The brand also has stores in Singapore, Turkey, Poland, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the Middle East.-History:...
, Zara
Zara (clothing)
Zara is a Spanish clothing and accessories retailer based in Arteixo, Galicia, and founded in 1975 by Amancio Ortega and Rosalía Mera. It is the flagship chain store of the Inditex group; the fashion group also owns brands such as Massimo Dutti, Pull and Bear, Oysho, Uterqüe, Stradivarius and...
, USC
USC (store)
USC is a retail store that sells branded clothing across the United Kingdom. The first USC store opened in 1989 in Edinburgh and specialised in sports clothing. USC used to stand for United Sports Corporation and was founded by Angus Morrison and David Douglas...
, Lacoste, All Saints
All Saints
All Saints' Day , often shortened to All Saints, is a solemnity celebrated on 1 November by parts of Western Christianity, and on the first Sunday after Pentecost in Eastern Christianity, in honour of all the saints, known and unknown...
, Van Mildert, Tucci
Tucci
Tucci is a surname, and may refer to:* Christine Tucci , American actress* Dudu Tucci , Brazilian musician* Flower Tucci , American adult actress/model* Gabriella Tucci , Italian soprano...
, Laura Ashley
Laura Ashley
Laura Ashley was a Welsh fashion designer and businesswoman. She became a household name on the strength of her work as a designer and manufacturer of a range of colourful fabrics for clothes and home furnishings....
, Karen Millen
Karen Millen
Karen Millen is an Icelandic owned women’s designer clothing brand, specialising in tailoring, coats and eveningwear. Karen Millen stores are found throughout the United Kingdom, America, Austria, Denmark, the Republic of Ireland and many other European countries.-History:The company was founded in...
, Kurt Geiger, French Connection
French Connection (clothing)
French Connection is a retailer and wholesaler of fashion clothing and accessories. Founded in 1972 by Stephen Marks it is based in London, is listed on the London Stock Exchange and operates globally....
, Guess, G-Star RAW and JD Sports
JD Sports
JD Sports Fashion plc, more commonly known as just JD, is a sports-fashion retail company based in Bury, Greater Manchester, England with shops throughout the United Kingdom and with one in Ireland...
. In late 2011, the fourth Forever 21
Forever 21
Forever 21 is an American chain of clothing retailers with branches in major cities in The United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East that offers fashion and accessories for young women and men....
store is due to open in the UK at Metrocentre.
Other major retailers include Argos
Argos (retailer)
Argos is the largest general-goods retailer in the United Kingdom and Ireland with over 800 stores. It is unique amongst major retailers in the UK in that it is a catalogue merchant...
, HMV, W H Smith
W H Smith
WHSmith plc is a British retailer, headquartered in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. It is best known for its chain of high street, railway station, airport, hospital and motorway service station shops selling books, stationery, magazines, newspapers, and entertainment products...
, Jessops, Boots, Carphone Warehouse, Modelzone
Modelzone
Modelzone Limited is a model and toy retailer based in West Sussex in the United Kingdom. The company has 39 stores, and is the UK's largest model retailer.- Beginnings as Model Aerodrome :...
and Lush
Lush (store)
Lush is a handmade cosmetics company headquartered in Poole, Dorset in the UK. In 1994, husband and wife Mark and Mo Constantine opened the first Lush store in Poole under the name Cosmetic House Limited. Lush adopted its current name on 10 April 1995. There are now more than 600 stores in 43...
. In Autumn 2010 the first TK Maxx/Homesense opened on the site of the old Odeon cinema in the Blue Mall.
On 25 September 2010 the region's second Apple Store was opened at Metrocentre.
The majority of restaurants are located in the MetroCentre Qube, a recently redeveloped area in the Yellow Mall containing bars and restaurants. These include Zizzi
Zizzi
Zizzi is a chain of Italian restaurants found across the United Kingdom which is owned by Gondola Group, who also own Ask and PizzaExpress restaurants. There are currently 87 Zizzi restaurants in the UK. Many include a masonry oven, visible over the counter to the customers, where pizzas are...
, Frankie and Benny's, Nandos, Pizza Express
Pizza Express
PizzaExpress is a restaurant group with over 400 restaurants across the United Kingdom and 40 overseas in China, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan and the Middle East. It was founded in 1965 by Peter Boizot.In Ireland, PizzaExpress trades under the name Milano....
, Big Lukes, Yo! Sushi
Yo! Sushi
YO! Sushi is a British restaurant chain which was started in 1997 and is owned by Quilvest and the YO! Sushi Senior Management team. YO! Sushi specialises in delivering sushi to customers using the Japanese style 'kaiten' conveyor belt method...
and in 2011, Wagamama
Wagamama
Wagamama is a British-headquartered restaurant chain, serving pan-Asian food in the style of a modern Japanese Ramen bar.-History:Created by Alan Yau, who subsequently created the Chinese restaurants Hakkasan and Yauatcha in London, the first Wagamama opened in 1992 off Gower Street in...
. Other restaurants located in the centre include McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
, Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
, KFC
KFC
KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...
, Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
and Wetherspoons
Wetherspoons
J D Wetherspoon plc is a British pub chain based in Watford. Founded as a single pub in 1979 by Tim Martin, the company now owns 815 outlets. The chain champions cask ale, low prices, long opening hours, and no music. The company also operates the Lloyds No...
.
Leisure facilities
Odeon Cinemas
Odeon Cinemas is a British chain of cinemas, one of the largest in Europe. It is owned by Odeon & UCI Cinemas Group whose ultimate parent is Terra Firma Capital Partners.-History:Odeon Cinemas was created in 1928 by Oscar Deutsch...
cinema opened in 2010, with VIP lounge and an IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
screen, and the Namco Funscape, which is an indoor amusement arcarde including a dodgem ride and 18 lane 10-pin bowling alley. All of these facilities are located in the MetroCentre Qube area of the redeveloped Yellow Mall. The Odeon cinema was originally located in the Blue Mall.
Former leisure facilities
Until its closure on 20 April 2008, Metrocentre featured an entirely enclosed theme park called Metroland. Renamed The New Metroland following a refurbishment by operators Arlington Leisure in 1996, it was Europe's largest indoor amusement parkAmusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
. Metroland opened in February 1988 at a cost of £20 million. The park featured a roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
, Ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
, pirate ship
Pirate ship (ride)
A pirate ship is a type of amusement ride, consisting of an open, seated gondola which swings back and forth, subjecting the rider to various levels of angular momentum....
, waltzer
Waltzer
A waltzer is a fairground ride that consists of a number of cars which are free to spin individually while rotating around a central point like a carousel. The floor of the ride is not flat and the cars rise and fall gently as the ride spins, the weight of the riders causing each car to rotate...
s, a miniature railway
Ridable miniature railway
A ridable miniature railway is a ground-level, large scale model railway that hauls passengers using locomotives that are models of full-sized railway locomotives .-Overview:Typically they have a rail track gauge between and , though both larger and...
and dodgem cars among its rides
Amusement ride
Amusement rides are large mechanical devices that move people to create enjoyment. They are frequently found at amusement parks, traveling carnivals, and funfairs.-Notable types:*Afterburner*Ali Baba*Balloon Race*Booster...
. Its closure made way for redevelopment of the Yellow Mall, including a new Odeon cinema, replacing the existing multiplex in the Blue Mall. On the final weekend of operation (19 & 20 April 2008) the park held the 'Last Ride weekend' where the admission price was £5 for the whole day with unlimited access to all the rides. The park finally closed at 8:00pm on Sunday 20 April, despite strong local opposition and petitions raising around 4,000 signatures against the closure. Proceeds from the last night of operation went to charity.
Metro Retail Park
The Metro Retail Park is situated to the west of Metrocentre. It has the layout of a conventional out of town retail park, with large stores such as Barker and StonehouseBarker and Stonehouse
Barker & Stonehouse is an upmarket English furniture retailer, established in 1946 and serving the North East of England. It has its headquarters in Middlesbrough....
, Toys R Us, NEXT Home and Pets at Home
Pets at Home
Pets at Home is a large pet supplies retail chain in the United Kingdom. With 300 stores nationwide, it is the largest pet supplies retail chain in the United Kingdom Pets at home currently have over 5000 employees...
. McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
and Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
are both situated to the south of the Retail Park site (in addition to other sites for both restaurants in Metrocentre itself). Until August 2007 the retail park was not actually under the ownership of the Metrocentre Partnership; it was purchased for £82.5 million.
metrOasis
A new retail area, metrOasis, is currently under development on the perimeter of the shopping centre. Located between the new MetroCentre Qube and the Metro Retail Park, on the former site of a petrol station, this new development will become home to a range of dining and entertainment venues. This project has not yet begun construction but the plans have been finalized and made available to the public. Currently, the confirmed list of tenants includes Krispy Kreme DoughnutsKrispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme is the name of an international chain of doughnut stores that was founded by Vernon Rudolph in 1937 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The parent company of Krispy Kreme is Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc...
and Harvester Restaurants
Harvester (restaurant)
Harvester Restaurants is a popular family farmhouse-style licensed restaurant chain with more than 170 outlets in the United Kingdom.-History:-Courage:...
. The site is due for completion in late 2012.
Public transport
Metrocentre's transport interchangeMetroCentre Interchange
The Metrocentre Transport Interchange serves the MetroCentre in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England. The bus station is managed by the shopping centre and Nexus operate the bus station's travel centre. A footbridge connects the Interchange the railway station and the shopping mall .Go North East is...
was rebuilt in the mid-1990s with an enclosed waiting area and new access ramps reserved exclusively for buses and taxis. It is connected to Gateshead Metro station by the regular X66 MetroCentre Shuttle bus service and to Newcastle Central Station
Newcastle Central station
Newcastle railway station , is the mainline station of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, England and is a principal stop on the East Coast Main Line. It opened in 1850 and is a Grade I listed building...
via the centre's own National Rail
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
station on the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway
Newcastle and Carlisle Railway
The Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, occasionally referred to as the Tyne Valley Line, is a railway line in northern England. The line was built in the 1830s, and links the city of Newcastle upon Tyne in Tyne and Wear with in Cumbria. Formal opening took place on 18 June 1838.The line follows the...
.
Major bus links include:
- X66 - Centrelink - A non-stop shuttle service operated by Go North EastGo North EastGo North East is the largest operator of bus services in North East England, United Kingdom. Go North East operates services in the counties of Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Northumberland...
connecting the MetroCentre with Gateshead InterchangeGateshead InterchangeGateshead Interchange is a transport interchange in the centre of the town of Gateshead, England. It is served by the Tyne and Wear Metro, whose station is underground, as well as local bus services...
, for links to the MetroTyne and Wear MetroThe Tyne and Wear Metro, also known as the Metro, is a light rail system in North East England, serving Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, South Tyneside, North Tyneside and Sunderland. It opened in 1980 and in 2007–2008 provided 40 million public journeys on its network of nearly...
and Gateshead QuaysQuaysideThe Quayside is an area along the banks of the River Tyne in Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead in the North East of England, United Kingdom....
.
- 100 - A shuttle service operated by Stagecoach North EastStagecoach GroupStagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
connecting the MetroCentre with Newcastle's Eldon Square bus stationEldon Square Bus StationEldon Square bus station is one of two bus stations serving the city centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, North East England, England.It is located in the Haymarket area of the city centre, near Newcastle University, adjacent to Haymarket bus station and near Haymarket Metro station...
, the Grey's MonumentGrey's MonumentGrey's Monument is a Grade I listed monument to Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey built in 1838 in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It was erected to acclaim Earl Grey for the passing of the Great Reform Act of 1832 and stands at the head of Grey Street. It consists of a statue of Lord Grey...
area on Pilgrim Street and Newcastle Central railway station.
- S1/S2 - Local shuttle services serving the MetroCentre complex and the surrounding retail park, as well as the Watermark development, it is run by Classic Buses.
- 10/10A - TEN10 Limited Stop Shuttle serving Blaydon to the west and Newcastle to the east. It is run by Go North East and provides links to Crawcrook, Newcastle, Blaydon and Hexham.
- 43/44 - Diamond - Four hourly bus service from Durham City - Stanley - Metro centre and Newcastle. It is run by Go North East.
- 45/46 - The Red Kite - Four Hourly bus service to Consett via the Derwent Valley. It is run by Go North East
- 96/96A/97 - The Highwayman - Frequent services serving the surrounding villages and Gateshead town. It is run by Go North East
Rail links
Metrocentre railway stationMetroCentre Interchange
The Metrocentre Transport Interchange serves the MetroCentre in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England. The bus station is managed by the shopping centre and Nexus operate the bus station's travel centre. A footbridge connects the Interchange the railway station and the shopping mall .Go North East is...
is on the Tyne Valley Line, which provides regular services to Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
Central station
Newcastle Central station
Newcastle railway station , is the mainline station of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, England and is a principal stop on the East Coast Main Line. It opened in 1850 and is a Grade I listed building...
, Sunderland Central
City of Sunderland
The City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough...
, Carlisle
Carlisle railway station
Carlisle railway station, also known as Carlisle Citadel station, is a railway station whichserves the Cumbrian City of Carlisle, England, and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line, lying south of Glasgow Central, and north of London Euston...
, Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
and Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, with a twice daily service to Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, via Dumfries
Dumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
.
Road
Metrocentre has its own junction on the A1 road and northbound this road was widened to three lanes after Metrocentre was built to cope with increased traffic levels. Even so the centre is responsible for many journeys onto the A1, a road which through Gateshead suffers from significant congestion at peak times.Air and sea
National and international visitors can reach the centre via air using Newcastle AirportNewcastle Airport
Newcastle International Airport is located in Woolsington in the City of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, north-west of the city centre. In 2010 it was the 11th busiest airport in the United Kingdom....
. Alternatively, it is possible to travel by ferry to North Shields
North Shields
North Shields is a town on the north bank of the River Tyne, in the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside, in North East England...
from Scandinavia and the Netherlands.