Barons Quay adds another leisure tenant
Following the arrival of cocktail bar and events space Barons Quay Social, the development in Northwich is set to add children’s swimming lessons provider Puddle Ducks to its leisure offering.
According to newly-submitted planning documents, Puddle Ducks is due to take a 3,300 sq ft unit roughly opposite the Wildwood restaurant and on the approach to the development’s Odeon Cinema.
Puddle Ducks offers parent-and-child swimming lessons for children aged between one and 11, and has outlets in Greater Manchester. Classes on offer include aquanatal, baby and pre-school, and lessons for children aged between four and 11. The company will include a swimming pool, changing areas, and a reception at its unit at Barons Quay.
Although the deal is yet to be confirmed, if signed it will be the latest leisure offering added to the 225,000 sq ft retail and leisure scheme, completed by Cheshire West & Chester Council in 2016.
Along with Wildwood and Odeon, the 10,000 sq ft Barons Quay Social opened its doors earlier this summer. Last month, an attraction from the team behind Tattenhall’s The Ice Cream Farm also signed up for a 7,000 sq ft unit.
Set to open in early 2020, the concept will include an indoor play area and a 200-cover restaurant targeted at young families.
Brasier Freeth and GCW are the retained agents for Barons Quay. Other tenants include H&M, Asda, The Entertainer, and Sports Direct. River Island will also be opening after confirming a deal for an 8,500 sq ft unit earlier this month.
According to the latest plans on GCW, BEAR has also signed for a 3,100 sq ft unit and a 6,000 sq ft mini golf is also under offer
By Northwich Lad
More fantastic news for Northwich – based on the recent announcement it really looks like Northwich is one step ahead in the changing face of the high street.
Rather than relying on retail stores, Barons Quay is leisure based with a cinema, children’s play area, children’s swimming pool, restaurants and possibly mini golf – all of which will bring in thousands of visitors to help support the retail sector.
Looks like the Barons Quay doubters may be wrong
By Barons Quay fan
Re barons quay fan
I think your missing the point barons quay was/is poorly designed and for your information Cheshire west and chester council should of had pre lets before it was built to test the market!
so your saying its a success 3 years after being finished with less than half the units occupied.
Id call that a total failure!
Lets hope weaver square doesnt go down the same way of being a white elephant.
PS. If shopping centres diversify too much they will totally loose there identity of what they are!
so out of 28 units, barons quay could end up in a situation where consumer market is that narrow because of the businesses setting up there that people wont bother going down there because it will serve no interest to them!
What would be a good idea is if northwich town council took a new unit at weaver square
By Northwich
Re: By Northwich,
I totally disagree with your claim that BQ is a poorly designed scheme – yes it has taken longer to fill than originally planned, but in my opinion the execution wasn’t handled well by the council and the scheme has been built during an extremely turbulent time for the retail industry.
However, at the end of the day the aim of the scheme was to attract additional visitors & Shoppers to Northwich to regenerate the town centre and to that point all of the new businesses are & will attract the additional footfall the town needs.
There are not many other towns of a similar size to northwich where the town centres are doing well, footfall is increasing and new shops are opening. You only have to look down the road in Crewe to see what could have happened to northwich.
I’d also dispute your claim that the scheme has been finished for 3 years. Asda and the cinema block opened in November/ December 2016. However, construction of the the sports Direct section didn’t start until the car park was open and the buildings between Asda and the cinema wasn’t completed until late 2017.
By Barons Quay fan
This would give more reason to come to Northwich. I don’t really care too much about high street shops, they’re dime a dozen, I want experiences, fun family days out … Maybe shopping … But mainly fun.
By Sam