Optimism for 'extremely sad' shopping centre

Castle Place was hit hard by Wilkos and Shaws closing down in 2023, the two largest remaining shops

The few remaining traders in a struggling town centre shopping centre have spoken of their optimism it can turn a corner with a new owner.

Castle Place is a largely empty 1970s shopping centre in the heart of Trowbridge, Wiltshire, which an industry expert says "cannot survive" in its current form.

It was bought at auction for a knock-down price by a new owner hoping to focus on leisure and space for local startups.

The Trowbridge Chamber of Commerce has described Castle Place as the "final piece of the jigsaw" in rebooting the ailing town centre.

Sandra Scovell's family have been local traders since the days of the Trowbridge cattle market by this site

"It's been extremely sad to see the decline," said Sandra Scovell behind the counter of the Fancy Goods store, in the cavernous lower market hall.

Her family have been local traders since this site was a cattle market, before the 1974 Castle Place construction.

"People look in and see the empty shops and think the whole place has closed down," Ms Scovell said, but is hopeful the future of this venue can help "bring the life back to Trowbridge".

Some businesses like Ann's Trimmings have been here for decades, but stallholder Deborah warns turning around the fortunes of Castle Place could take years

"There's very few of us left," said Deborah Fox at the back of the market hall. She is the third generation of her family working at the Ann's Trimmings stall.

She described how her steady business started declining in the last couple of years.

She said she would "like to be optimistic" about the future of Castle Place, but believes its revival "is not gong to happen it weeks, it's going to be months if not years".

Father and daughter Ishak and Arife Ozdelik are hopeful Castle Place attract more visitors, having opened their family business last year selling homemade Turkish food

Others see hope sooner than that. The Ozdelik family set up shop here less than a year ago, selling their homemade Turkish food from their Beytish Kitchen stall.

"It [Castle Place] has gone downhill, its dragged us all down, but we're still doing well," said Arife Ozdelik alongside her father Ishak.

They see the potential to "bring in more business, change the design, attract more people", she said.

Kez Garner from Trowbridge Chamber of Commerce says a viable future for Castle Place is vital for the county town's regeneration

Having failed to sell in 2023, Castle Place was recently auctioned off for just over £500,000 - a small sum for a 1.7 acre site right in the heart of a county town.

New owner Tahir Ali, a property investor from Yorkshire, promises to support the existing tenants who have "stood by" Castle Place during its difficult years.

"It's very difficult to be an oracle when it comes to the high street these days, that's for sure," Mr Ali said. But "I definitely see a lot of scope for leisure" rather than shops in the largest empty units like Wilkos.

He also hopes to refit the lower market hall on flexible leases for local online startups who want to try out physical stores.

Owner Tahir Ali hopes a focus on leisure, and providing space for local startups, will help revive the fortunes of Castle Place

Colliers retail agent and analyst Nic Turk agreed "Castle Place cannot survive in its current form" since its anchor store Wilkos closed last year.

"They may not be as lucrative for landlords as they used to be, but once you realise department stores aren't coming back you've got to find an alternative use, and leisure is a classic example," Mr Turk said.

Only half a dozen stalls remain in the large downstairs market hall, which opened in 1974

With the neighbouring Town Hall refurbishment, the recent plans for the former Bowyers factory site, and Wiltshire Council's revamp of the high street, this marks the "final piece of the puzzle" in in re-inventing Trowbridge, according to the Chamber of Commerce.

Trowbridge "had a slump on its high street 20 years ago when its industries closed down" said chamber chair Kez Garner.

"So in a way we're ahead of the other high streets, we've been empty and derelict and we're now coming back, the whole town at the moment looks like its being refurbished."