Major Milestone Reached For Stretford Town Centre as King Street Opens to the Public

Stretford is celebrating the opening of its brand new high street, marking a major milestone in its ambitious masterplan to revitalise the town centre. 

Delivered through a long-term joint venture between Bruntwood and Trafford Council, the historic King Street and Pinnington Lane have been restored and a brand new public square has been created -  Sir Tony Lloyd Square. Together this means a new, exciting, sustainable town centre with the high street at its heart, as well as improved connectivity and a new chapter for Stretford’s economy.

The new high street is open to the public from 23rd August and the first wave of retailers set to join King Street will start to move into the units over the coming weeks. The new high street will be home to a mix of local, and independent businesses, shops, services, national brand and hospitality venues.

Loungers is the first national hospitality brand to be announced as joining the new high street and will offer a ‘home away from home’, with quality all day dining, a warm and welcoming atmosphere and unique, relaxed interiors. Like all Loungers, the Stretford site on King Street will have its own individual identity and be called “Fosforo Lounge”.

Local businesses to join the high street include Stretford stalwarts and vinyl specialists, Reel Around The Fountain, who are relocating to King Street. Owner Nigel Young has been operating in the Mall in Stretford for over 11 years and his new store will allow him to bring his collection of rare finds and vinyl treasures to the high street.

Reel Around the Fountain will be joined by a range of businesses who are making the move from Stretford Mall to King Street including Gola Gifts, Hollywood Nails, Card Factory, Eboni’s Hair and Beauty, Costa Coffee, Max Spielman, EE, Greggs and Home Bargains.

These shops, stores, brands and services are the first to be announced in what will be a thriving, exciting, sustainable high street designed with the community and today’s shoppers in mind.

The opening up of the historic King Street, which back in the 1950s was the backbone of Stretford and a source of civic pride, will allow the community to reclaim the space, restoring the high street to the heart of the town centre and vastly improving connectivity. The new high street will allow for purpose built units of an appropriate size and specification for modern retail needs. It will also open up the space to shoppers and, after 60 years of an enclosed Mall, the new high street will also enable the nighttime economy to thrive.

The ground floor retail units on King Street have been designed for a mix of retail and hospitality businesses, whilst The Mezz, a specially built  first-floor arcade has been created for service-led retailers including hair and beauty specialists .

King Street opens out into Sir Tony Lloyd Square, named by the community in honour of the late local MP.  This is a brand new public space designed by and for the residents of Stretford.  It will be the civic heart of the town centre -  a focal point for community life, a meeting place and a venue for events and activities to bring even more life to Stretford. With plenty of places to sit and dwell, its large clock and  south-facing position, it has also been designed to support day through to night trading as the town centre evolves.

The restoration of Pinnington Lane will improve connectivity allowing the community to walk from King Street straight through to Victoria Park. 

The multi-storey car park has also been improved to improve visitor experience and  

create a safer environment for everyone - the refurbished carpark will be completed later in the year.

The completion of King Street follows the complete refurbishment of all existing retail units and shop fronts in the town centre.  This includes shop front replacements and refurbishment of Chester Road and the installation of the Stretford mural, creating a much improved and more appealing arrival to the town centre. 

When the new high street opens to the public on 23rd August, it will be the first time that residents will be able to walk down King Street in over 60 years, the occasion is being marked with a number of events to celebrate this important moment and ensure that the whole community is the first to make use of the new spaces before the businesses open. Free tickets for the summer party are available here.

A huge ‘street warming’ party will officially welcome the community to King Street and allow residents to explore their new high street first, as well as enjoy food, drinks, crafts and family activity.  The street is also set to host A Block Party on 30th August, an all-day dance party from local DJ collective Rainy Hart and Elody, with more events and activities to be revealed in the coming weeks. 

During this period of transition, the Mall will remain open until all of the retailers have completed the fit outs within their new premises on the high street.

Chris Roberts, Chief Development Officer, from Bruntwood said:

“The opening of King Street, Pinnington Lane and Sir Tony Lloyd Square is a momentous occasion for Stretford town centre and marks the successful completion of the first phase of our ambitious masterplan. This purpose-built new space will soon be filled with shops, hospitality venues and community facilities, forming the new beating heart of the town centre. In total, it will be home to up to 40  businesses, all centred around a newly landscaped public square designed to serve the whole community and improve connectivity across the area. 

“We’re thrilled to be welcoming businesses and the community alike as we usher in this exciting new chapter and re-establish King Street as a key destination in Greater Manchester. ” 

Cllr Tom Ross, Leader of Trafford Council, said: 

“I am delighted that the new King Street, Sir Tony Lloyd Square and Pinnington Lane have now opened in Stretford. This is fantastic news and will totally transform the town centre. Working with our partners, Bruntwood, our masterplan was all about creating a thriving high street with a mix of shops and services, hospitality and spaces for the community and we achieved just that. 

“Trafford Council is committed to the regeneration of our town centres and helping provide a thriving economy in the borough.”