Portsmouth businesses hope trade at The Bridge Shopping Centre will be boosted after Portsmouth City Council buys the Fratton site

As previously reported in The News, Portsmouth City Council has purchased The Bridge Shopping Centre from former owner ASDA - and announced plans to regenerate the high street with changes including improvements to the road network, pedestrian routes, and cycleways on the way.

FOR MORE READ: Council buys The Bridge Centre in Fratton

This purchase is part of the council's long-term regeneration plans for the city and was made possible by a grant from the Future High Streets Fund. ASDA will remain open at the site.

Among those who are positive that the change will boost trade in the centre is Bakhtiar Essa, director of the Bridge Cafe. The cafe reopened in 2019 following at least five years of closure.

Bakhtiar said that he hopes the shopping centre will rival other retail destinations – such as in Waterlooville and Southampton – and that his cafe will continue to provide shoppers with a welcoming communal area. He added that many of the regular visitors are older or otherwise vulnerable and are therefore in need of adequate shopping facilities on their doorstep.

He said: “We want to see a variety of shops. [The Bridge Centre] is a bit of history for Portsmouth.”

Mr Essa said that he has been in discussion with the council and hopes that they will address long-standing issues such as maintenance, which is often slow under current ownership despite “high service charges''. He would also like to see better signage for the centre and its inhabitants, adding that people “don't know we are here.”

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Bernard Mendel, who owns the Italian Furniture Store and The Beds Store in the centre, said: “We’re very happy about the news of the council buying it as they intend to keep running it exactly as it was but obviously making improvements and trying to fill the empty units. We moved from The Pompey Centre five years ago to The Bridge Centre. We’ve been very happy trading there and it’s a good community of local people who live in the area and also people who know us and travel to visit us.

Bernard, who is 64 and has been in the furniture industry for the past 40 years, said the investment has inspired business owners with confidence in the centre and will make shops more likely to take on units there.

He added: “Even if its offices it would be good as it will make it clean and tidy rather than having empty units.”

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Hairdresser Jo Smith – who works at Redz Hair Salon opposite the shopping centre - said that traders near to The Bridge Centre are uncertain about the changes and would like to be kept informed. Jo explained that there is a close-knit community of businesses in the area who are anxious for the project to be successful.

Jo said: "It feels at the moment that it’s just ‘this is what it’s going to be, it doesn’t matter what you guys think, we don’t care.’ Which is fine, they bought it. The whole building is obviously in disrepair anyway and needs addressing because it leaks like you would not believe. We just want to know what’s going on.”

“It’s such an icon, such a big place and it sets the standard for everything else around here, so we want to know what’s going to go on, what kind of shops are going to be in there – the future, basically – what’s going to change and when it’s going to change. We’re all talking about it.”

The council’s plans also include building “permanent infrastructure” on the South End of Fratton Road which will see the area used more regularly for community events and shut on “designated seasonal Sundays”. Redz Salon is one of several local businesses which have been fitted with suggestion boxes for members of the public to have their say on the matter.

Speaking of the plans, councillor Steve Pitt, leader of Portsmouth City Council with responsibility for economic development and culture said: "We've listened to the views of residents and businesses in Fratton and know that people want to see the area revitalised with improved public spaces and shops, homes and job opportunities that suit how we live and work now.

“The Bridge Centre is a strategic, long-term investment for the council. We will work with the businesses that are based there now, while also working to develop plans that look to the future.