Proposal for Debenhams site moves step closer
Ambitious plans for the long vacant former Debenhams store in Stirling’s Thistles shopping centre are closer to fruition.
Stirling Council planners have conditionally approved an application by Scoop AM to subdivide all three floors of the premises into five units.
Indicative plans include a food court, gym, two large stores – shown on provisional plans as potentially being a new H&M and a Poundland – plus a floor dedicated to family activities.
The stores would be on the ground floor, straight off the original main mall, with a 251-seater food hall to the rear of the floor leading off the Thistles Marches mall. The gym would be in the lower ground/ basement section.
The first floor would be the “family entertainment centre” with suggested activities such as soft play, trampolines, minigolf, laser quest and a ball pit.
Debenhams, an established name in UK retail for decades, closed down in 2021 after administrators failed to find a buyer. Online retailer Boohoo had purchased the Debenhams brand and website for £55m, but would not take on any of the 118 stores or its workforce including the Thistles store and its staff.
The retailer had been the flagship store within the Stirling shopping centre, leaving significant floorspace within the premises lying empty for a long period.
This week, Thistles centre director Gary Turnbull said: “We are delighted to have had our plans conditionally approved by
Stirling Council, which is an important step in our journey to improving the experience on offer to visitors of Thistles, Stirling.
“We are now awaiting building warrant approval to allow us to begin work on the site and once granted we will be able to share further details including expected opening times.”
In their decision, council planners said: “Since the food hall is to be accessed solely from the Marches Mall and the new smaller retail units will be accessed solely from the King’s Mall, customers will no longer have the ability to access either the King’s Mall or Marches Mall through the unit.
“It is noted that this unit has remained empty for a number of years. An occupier for this large unit has not emerged over the years, which is perhaps reflective of the wider change in retail shopping patterns. It is considered that a period of time has passed without any commercial interest in utilising a unit of this scale and that a vacant unit remaining in the city centre does not enhance the area. This proposal allows for the retention of some retail floor space over smaller units which are more consistent with market demand.
“It is considered that the inclusion of a gym and a family entertainment facility will broaden the range of attractions available within the city centre, will occupy a vacant unit which will, in turn, add to the vitality and viability of the area.
“The proposal will not result in any external alterations, there are no nearby residents that will be adversely affected and overall the proposal is considered to comply with the policies of the Development Plan.”
In documents submitted with the application, agents for Scoop, Thistles’ retail asset managers, said: “Following the administration of Debenhams in 2020, the Debenhams unit within the Thistles Shopping Centre has been unused and vacant. Although the store previously accommodated an element of Food & Beverage (F&B) in the form of customers’ cafés and staff canteen, it is understood that this was ancillary to the existing department store use.
“Due to the city centre central location of the proposed development, there will be increase in footfall and consistency within the city centre shopping centre, as it will attract further occupiers improving the vitality and viability of the city.”