Friars Square

Friars Square is a town-centre shopping centre in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom. It forms part of the town's central retail and transport infrastructure and combines retail units, restaurants, offices, a bus station and a 400-space multi-storey car park. The centre contains more than 60 shops and restaurants and is anchored by House of Fraser. Its present form emerged from the redevelopment of an earlier open-air retail scheme that had been created during Aylesbury's post-war town-centre renewal. The first phase of the original Friars Square development opened in 1967. It introduced a pedestrianised shopping area and relocated elements of the town market within a broader redevelopment of the Market Square and Silver Street areas. A second phase opened in 1969 and added Woolworths and the bus station. The early complex also included a modern pavilion containing the Cadena café, later converted to a Wimpy restaurant. The current enclosed shopping centre was formally opened in 1993 after the previous development was closed and extended. The redevelopment cost £70 million and was designed by Stanley Bragg Architects. It incorporated the former Woolworth building into the new scheme, using the space for the principal department-store anchor and the town library. This design linked the centre's retail role with public and transport uses rather than treating it solely as a conventional shopping mall. Friars Square changed ownership several times during the 2000s and early 2010s. F&C Property Asset Management sold the centre to Multiplex in 2007. In 2011 ownership transferred to the West Register asset division of the Royal Bank of Scotland after Brookfield Multiplex withdrew from the United Kingdom retail market following its acquisition of Multiplex. Buckinghamshire Council is identified as the landlord, while Savills manages the centre. The tenant mix has evolved as individual retailers and uses have changed. The indoor Cloisters market closed in 2012, allowing space to be repurposed for a gym and an H&M store. H&M opened in January 2013 on the former Madhouse clothing site. Topshop opened in September 2013 in a newly built section of the main mall, although that unit later became occupied by JD Sports. Smiggle opened in October 2017. The centre has also included office accommodation, and a proposal was made in 2012 to convert a vacant office building into 50 apartments. Friars Square remains an active Aylesbury retail destination with a role that extends beyond shopping. Its connection to the bus station, public services, food outlets, parking and town-centre pedestrian routes supports its position as a mixed-use central complex. In 2018 its security team received the Security Team of the Year award at the SCEPTRE Awards.

Friars Square originated in Aylesbury's post-war town-centre redevelopment. The scheme transformed parts of the south-western town centre, including the Market Square and Silver Street areas, and introduced a pedestrian-oriented retail environment. Its first phase opened in 1967 with shops arranged around an open-air pedestrian area and facilities for the town market. The second phase followed in 1969 and included a Woolworths store and a new bus station. A modern pavilion over the open market housed the Cadena café, which later became a Wimpy restaurant. The original development was eventually closed and replaced through a substantial redevelopment. The present shopping centre formally opened in 1993 at a reported cost of £70 million. Stanley Bragg Architects designed the redevelopment. Rather than removing all traces of the earlier complex, the project incorporated the large Woolworth building into the new centre. That structure was adapted to accommodate the principal department-store anchor, now House of Fraser, as well as the town library. The result was a mixed-use central complex combining commercial, civic and transport functions. The centre's ownership changed during a period of restructuring in the United Kingdom retail-property sector. In 2007 F&C Property Asset Management sold Friars Square to Multiplex. In 2011 ownership moved to the West Register asset division of the Royal Bank of Scotland. This followed Brookfield Multiplex's withdrawal from the United Kingdom retail market after its acquisition of Multiplex. The centre had previously been acquired by Multiplex with debt financing provided by RBS. The landlord is Buckinghamshire Council and day-to-day management is handled by Savills. Friars Square's layout and tenant mix continued to change in the 2010s. The Cloisters indoor market closed in 2012, making room for new uses including a gym and a larger-format H&M store. A proposal was also made that year to convert a vacant office building into 50 apartments, illustrating the broader mixed-use potential of the property. H&M opened in January 2013 on the former Madhouse clothing site. Topshop followed in September 2013 in a newly built section of the central mall; after Topshop's departure, JD Sports occupied the unit. Smiggle added a stationery-focused retail offer in October 2017. The centre includes more than 60 shops and restaurants, offices, a bus station and a 400-space multi-storey car park. House of Fraser serves as its principal retail anchor. These facilities give Friars Square a role in everyday town-centre activity that includes commuting, parking, shopping, dining and access to public services. In 2018, the centre's security team was recognised with the Security Team of the Year award at the SCEPTRE Awards. Friars Square is therefore best understood not simply as a retail brand, but as a managed mixed-use property and a longstanding component of Aylesbury's urban centre.

• 2018

  Security team wins SCEPTRE award

  [1]Friars Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The centre's security team received the Security Team of the Year award at the SCEPTRE Awards.

• 2017

  Smiggle opens

  [1]Friars Squareen.wikipedia.org

  Smiggle opened a stationery-focused store at the centre.

• 2013

  H&M and Topshop join the tenant mix

  [1]Friars Squareen.wikipedia.org

  H&M opened in January, followed by Topshop in September in a newly constructed mall section.

• 2012

  Cloisters indoor market closes

  [1]Friars Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The indoor market closed and its space was identified for new retail and leisure uses; conversion of vacant offices into apartments was also proposed.

• 2011

  Ownership passes to RBS West Register

  [1]Friars Squareen.wikipedia.org

  Ownership transferred to Royal Bank of Scotland's West Register asset division after Brookfield Multiplex exited the United Kingdom retail market.

• 2007

  Multiplex acquires Friars Square

  [1]Friars Squareen.wikipedia.org

  F&C Property Asset Management sold the centre to Multiplex.

• 1993

  Present shopping centre formally opens

  [1]Friars Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The redeveloped Friars Square opened after a £70 million project designed by Stanley Bragg Architects.

• 1969

  Second phase adds Woolworths and the bus station

  [1]Friars Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The second phase of the original development opened, adding a Woolworths store and a bus station.

• 1967

  First phase of the original Friars Square opens

  [1]Friars Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The first phase of Aylesbury's town-centre redevelopment opened with pedestrianised shops and a relocated market area.

A centrally located, mixed-use shopping and transport destination serving Aylesbury and its surrounding area, with a department-store anchor and a broad combination of retail, food, service, office and public-transport uses.

• Department store

  House of Fraser

  House of Fraser is the principal anchor store at Friars Square. It occupies the former Woolworth building incorporated into the 1993 redevelopment and provides a broad department-store offer within the centre's retail mix.

• Shopping-centre tenant mix · 1993

  Retail shops and restaurants

  Friars Square provides more than 60 retail and food-and-beverage units. The documented tenant mix has included fashion, sportswear, stationery, department-store retail, restaurants and other town-centre services.

• Transport and property services · 1993

  Transport and parking facilities

  The centre includes an integrated bus station and a 400-space multi-storey car park. These facilities support access to the shopping centre and connect it with Aylesbury's wider town-centre transport network.

• 2012

  Repurpose the Cloisters market spaceStrategy

  Background

  The Cloisters indoor market at Friars Square had closed, creating an opportunity to change the use of the space.

  Action taken

  Space was used for new commercial purposes, including an H&M store and a gym.

  Aftermath

  H&M opened at the centre in January 2013. No further documented outcome is available in the supplied sources.

  Source

• 2012

  Proposal to convert vacant offices into apartmentsStrategy

  Background

  A vacant office building within the mixed-use centre was considered for an alternative use.

  Action taken

  A proposal was made to convert the building into 50 apartments.

  Aftermath

  The supplied source does not establish whether the conversion was completed.

  Source

1. 1Friars Squareen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Friars Square official websitefriarssquareshopping.com