Spires Shopping Centre
Encyclopedia
The Spires Shopping Centre (also referred to as Barnet Spires) is a shopping centre in Barnet
, north London
, England
. It is located in the centre of the town, on the High Street.
The Spires gained its name by incorporating the two spires of the Methodist church that had formerly stood on the site into the street-front facade of the shopping centre. It has many hallmarks of a smaller suburban shopping centre, and receives around 70,000 visitors per week. It is unenclosed, and has two open-air atria along its length for people to pass through as they use the centre. Today these open areas are occupied by seating areas for several cafes.
There is also an attached multi-storey car park
, intended for use of visitors to the centre and the neighbouring high street.
store and an increased number of retail
units. This was to increase The Spires competitiveness as many of the units are smaller than current industry expectations and so were failing to attract the highest rents or the best retailers. Since then however there has been little sign of any changes occurring, and this is mainly blamed on the ongoing global recession.
, situated approximately 10 minutes walk south of the High Street. National Rail
services stop a little further away at New Barnet
, from which there is a regular bus service, or a slightly longer walk.
Barnet
High Barnet or Chipping Barnet is a place in the London Borough of Barnet, North London, England. It is a suburban development built around a twelfth-century settlement and is located north north-west of Charing Cross. Its name is often abbreviated to Barnet, which is also the name of the London...
, north London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is located in the centre of the town, on the High Street.
The Spires gained its name by incorporating the two spires of the Methodist church that had formerly stood on the site into the street-front facade of the shopping centre. It has many hallmarks of a smaller suburban shopping centre, and receives around 70,000 visitors per week. It is unenclosed, and has two open-air atria along its length for people to pass through as they use the centre. Today these open areas are occupied by seating areas for several cafes.
There is also an attached multi-storey car park
Multi-storey car park
A multi-storey car-park is a building designed specifically to be for car parking and where there are a number of floors or levels on which parking takes place...
, intended for use of visitors to the centre and the neighbouring high street.
Expansion
In May 2008, there was discussion between the managing agents and the Barnet Residents Association about proposals to extend and refurbish the shopping centre, including an enlarged WaitroseWaitrose
Waitrose Limited is an upmarket chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom and is the food division of the British retailer and worker co-operative the John Lewis Partnership. Its head office is in Bracknell, Berkshire, England...
store and an increased number of retail
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
units. This was to increase The Spires competitiveness as many of the units are smaller than current industry expectations and so were failing to attract the highest rents or the best retailers. Since then however there has been little sign of any changes occurring, and this is mainly blamed on the ongoing global recession.
Transport
The centre is served by many bus routes including the 614 and 234. The nearest tube station is High BarnetHigh Barnet tube station
High Barnet tube station is a London Underground station located in High Barnet in North London. The station is the terminus of the High Barnet branch of the Northern line and is in Travelcard Zone 5. It is the northernmost station on the Northern line and is situated 10.2 miles north north-west...
, situated approximately 10 minutes walk south of the High Street. 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...
services stop a little further away at New Barnet
New Barnet railway station
New Barnet railway station is in the London Borough of Barnet in north London, England. It is 10¼ miles north of Moorgate and is on the East Coast Main Line between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh Waverley. New Barnet is in Travelcard Zone 5...
, from which there is a regular bus service, or a slightly longer walk.