Quadrant Shopping Centre
Encyclopedia
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The centre opened in 1979. Since the 1980s it has been home to the Swansea Devil
Swansea Devil
The Swansea Devil, also called Old Nick is a wood carving of the Devil in Swansea, Wales.-History:In the 1890s it was decided that St. Mary's Church in the centre of Swansea would be rebuilt. The task of designing the new church was put to tender. Among those who applied were a local architect and...
, a controversial carved wooden statue of the Devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
.
The centre and surrounding areas are owned by the City and County of Swansea council.
Stores
The centre has a floorspace of 41000 m² (441,320.3 sq ft) and is anchored by DebenhamsDebenhams
Debenhams 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...
, 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...
and Boots. Other notable stores include HMV
HMV
His Master's Voice is a trademark in the music business, and for many years was the name of a large record label. The name was coined in 1899 as the title of a painting of the dog Nipper listening to a wind-up gramophone...
, Clarks
C&J Clark
C. and J. Clark International Ltd, trading as Clarks, is a British, international shoe manufacturer and retailer based in Street, Somerset, England...
and Dorothy Perkins
Dorothy Perkins
Dorothy Perkins, whose trading name was inspired by a rambler rose of the same name, is a large British women's clothing retailer, active mostly in the United Kingdom.- History :...
.
The building
The centre's main distinctions are its glass roof structure and its square atriumAtrium (architecture)
In modern architecture, an atrium is a large open space, often several stories high and having a glazed roof and/or large windows, often situated within a larger multistory building and often located immediately beyond the main entrance doors...
at the centre, which is now leased out to seasonal businesses, mainly during festive periods. The centre was last redeveloped in the early 1990s, but much of the upper floor decor consists of open brickwork from the 1980s.
There are two levels in the Quadrant; Boots Group, Debenhams
Debenhams
Debenhams 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...
and WHSmith are the only stores occupying the upper level, along with the public conveniences and 'The Gallery', a cafe that overlooks the central area.
Surroundings
The Quadrant is directly adjacent to Swansea MarketSwansea Market
Swansea Market situated in the heart of Swansea city centre is the largest indoor market in Wales. The market is covered by a steel arched portal frame roof clad in steel and glass. The current market was built in 1959-1960 by Percy Edwards. It is the fourth market to be built at the site in...
, Swansea bus station
Quadrant bus station
Swansea bus station, or Swansea city bus station, is a bus station serving Swansea, Wales. It lies immediately to the west of the Quadrant Shopping Centre. The bus station also has a taxi rank to the south....
and a multi-storey car park. The less successful St. David's Shopping Centre complex is situated to the east; the St David’s/Quadrant area is highlighted by the Council as the key priority for the regeneration of Swansea city centre
Swansea city centre
Swansea city centre in Swansea, Wales, contains the main shopping, leisure and nightlife district in Swansea. The city centre covers much of the Castle ward including the area around Oxford Street, Castle Square, and the Quadrant Shopping Centre; Alexandra Road, High Street, Wind Street and the...
.