TheHindpool Retail Parks are a set of four conjoinedretail parks in theHindpool area ofBarrow-in-Furness,England,United Kingdom (with the exception of one which straddles the border withCentral Barrow). Some thirty stores and leisure facilities contain a total of 43,000 m2 (460,000 sq ft) of retail space (around one quarter of the borough's 199,000 m2 (2,140,000 sq ft) of retail floorspace).[1] The four retail parks are Cornerhouse Retail Park, Cornmill Crossing, Hindpool Retail Park and Hollywood Park. The largest and only other retail park in Barrow is Walney Road Retail Park -Asda,Argos,Home Bargains,Matalan,Starbucks andStollers.[2]
All of the retail parks were built on former industrial land that during the early to mid-20th century played a major role in not only Barrow's but the entire country's economy. Hindpool Retail Park, alongsideCraven Park stadium were built upon the site of theBarrow Jute Works which operated from 1870 to 1948. Cornerhouse Park and Cornmill Crossing were built on a site originally occupied by a cornmill and large interchange of theFurness Railway, while Hollywood Park was constructed on the southern perimeter of the former iron and steelworks which was operated by theBarrow Hematite Steel Company between 1859 and 1963 and was at one point the largest steelworks on earth.
Cornerhouse Retail Park has seen many changes throughout its history,Tesco has seen two huge expansions (including the addition of a large mezzanine floor) and has become aTesco Extra store, Homebase also created amezzanine floor to keep up with the competition from the likes of B&Q, although the store has now become aB&M, whilst Currys had a unit in the park before relocating to Hollywood Park when it was completed.[3]
| Unit | Retail/ Leisure Space | Tenant |
|---|---|---|
| A | 833 m2 (8,970 sq ft) | Iceland |
| B | 570 m2 (6,100 sq ft) | The Gym Group |
| C | 651 m2 (7,010 sq ft) | Pets at Home |
| D | 1,396 m2 (15,030 sq ft) | Halfords |
| E | 3,367 m2 (36,240 sq ft) | B&M1,3 |
| N/A | 7,300 m2 (79,000 sq ft) | Tesco Extra1 |
Cornmill Crossing is the newest addition to the Hindpool Retail Parks complex. Despite it only being home to two units, both are amongst the larger stores in the area. Planning permission for the retail park was sought in January 2007 for the 10,186 m2 (109,640 sq ft) site which was formerly occupied byUnited Utilities water works,[4] the plans were quickly approved to following month.[5] An archeological dig was conducted by Greenlane Archeology of Ulverston. This was to uncover the remains of a steam cornmill built in 1870, but demolished in 1972 following a fire in the building which had stood empty for five years. The complex was designed by Craig and Green Architects and built in under a year.B&Q were the first top open their doors in July 2008,[6] the new 'Mini Warehouse' was built to replace a rundown superstore on nearby Duke Street, the B&Q contains roughly 6,800 m2 (73,000 sq ft) of retail space - including a 1,400 m2 (15,000 sq ft)garden centre and 740 m2 (8,000 sq ft) builders' yard.[7] The other unit in Cornmill Park - aJJB Sports2 Superstore, Fitness Club and Gym opened in September 2008. The two story building has a total floor area of 3,914 m2 (42,130 sq ft) and includes a 20 m (66 ft) long swimming pool.[8] The store and fitness club now goes by the nameDW Sports Fitness after it was acquired byDave Whelan in March 2009.[9] Also worth of note is the supermarketMorrisons which is located more or less next to Cornmill Crossing, only separated byMichaelson Road Bridge.
Hindpool Retail Park is the only one of the four retail parks to have increased its number of units since opening.Next and the formerBrantano were built in 2005 on the site of a former women's institute that straddled the retail park, while a smaller building was constructed within the park itself in 2015 to houseCosta Coffee andSubway.
Plans in 2019 revealed that Burger King had plans to open up a store in the vacant Frankie and Benny's restaurant.
| Unit | Retail/ Leisure Space | Tenant |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 697 m2 (7,500 sq ft) | Poundland |
| 2 | 937 m2 (10,090 sq ft) | Carpetright |
| 3 | 763 m2 (8,210 sq ft) | Bensons for Beds |
| 4 | 1,180 m2 (12,700 sq ft) | DFS Furniture |
| 5 | 372 m2 (4,000 sq ft) | Burger King |
| 6 | 619 m2 (6,660 sq ft) | Cancer Research UK |
| 7 | 946 m2 (10,180 sq ft) | Next5 |
| 8A | 93 m2 (1,000 sq ft) | Subway |
| 8B | 150 m2 (1,600 sq ft) | Costa Coffee |
| N/A | 2,930 m2 (31,500 sq ft) | The Range Home and Leisure |
Hollywood Park is the most diverse of the four retail parks, as well as the second largest. Designed by Craig and Green Architects, plans were first submitted for a new leisure and retail complex in Barrow in October 1997, the local council approved these plans in April 1998.[10] Throughout the rest of 1998 and 1999, a number of tenants lined up to move into Hollywood Park - with most of these being swiftly approved.[10] Construction of the complex was completed just after the turn of the millennium. Electrical stores Comet and Currys both moved into Hollywood Park from smaller premises in Cornerhouse Retail Park.[10] Hollywood Park is home to three food outlets, the largestcinema in Cumbria as well as a number of retail outlets withmezzanine floors.[11] JJB Sports moved to a larger premises in Cornmill Crossing in 2008, whilst the likes of Barrow Superbowl and Klaussner furniture fell victims tobankruptcy.[11] Plans were recently approved for Aldi to combine the two former Dreams and B&M Bargains units into one, 1,395 square metre, 'superstore'. In total there are some 650 parking spaces within Hollywood Park, a detailed list of its current tenants are compiled below.[11] Although not within Hollywood Park, theWacky Warehouse and theOwl and the Pussycat Restaurant are located immediately north of the complex, andPremier Inn andBrewers Fayre to the west.
| Unit | Retail/ Leisure Space | Tenant |
|---|---|---|
| A | 1,395 m2 (15,020 sq ft) | Smyths Toys Superstores |
| B | 3,658 m2 (39,370 sq ft) | Dunelm Mill1,4 |
| C | 1,134 m2 (12,210 sq ft) | Nuffield Health Club2 |
| D | 1,484 m2 (15,970 sq ft) | Vue Cinemas |
| E/H | 1,679 m2 (18,070 sq ft) | Currys |
| E/H | 932 m2 (10,030 sq ft) | Aldi |
| J | 2,000 m2 (22,000 sq ft) | T.K.Maxx1 |
| K | 238 m2 (2,560 sq ft) | KFC |
| L | 292 m2 (3,140 sq ft) | Church Walk Veterinary Centre |
| M | 289 m2 (3,110 sq ft) | McDonald's |