Brunswick Centre shuts its doors

Scarborough’s town centre shopping destination will undergo redevelopment, a key part of ongoing regeneration plans.

Scarborough Group International is leading the project, which will reopen as SQ1, a 20-unit venue across three floors with cinema chain Odeon anchoring the development.

Units will range from 250 sq ft to 20,000 sq ft alongside kiosks for independent F&B operators, with lettings handled by Barker Proudlove and Savills.

SGI acquired SQ1 from M&G Real Estate in August 2021 and plans for the redevelopment were approved in 2023.

The closure of the Brunswick Centre reflects a wider shift in retail trends, with the rise of online shopping and the decline of traditional department stores – including anchor store Debenhams – contributing to falling footfall.

With many leases naturally expiring, SGI managed the wind-down of the centre to allow retailers time to relocate. Many have successfully moved elsewhere in Scarborough.

The Westborough site has been a town centre anchor for over 140 years. The original Rowntree’s department store was built in 1882, becoming Scarborough’s first building to be lit by electricity and one of the town’s most prestigious shops.

Rowntree’s later became Debenhams before finally closing in the late 1980s.

The building was demolished in 1988 to make way for the Brunswick Centre, which opened in July 1990 as Scarborough town’s first fully enclosed shopping centre.

Rachel Vickers, senior commercial manager at SGI, said: “Like many town centres across the UK, Scarborough faces challenges.

“Redeveloping this site gives us the chance to bring new energy and purpose to the high street, and to create a place local people can feel proud of once again.”