Doors on the UK’s saddest shopping centre – St Catherine’s Place in Bedminster – remain firmly shut, albeit graffitied, with stores boarded up and rubbish lining the entranceway
St Catherine’s Place in Bedminster was officially crowned the saddest UK shopping centre before its final store closed up for good, after years of decline.
Its streets remain empty with no signs of life, with only pigeons occasionally flying in for a glimpse. But 20 years ago, it was a bustling thoroughfare with numerous busy shops. By the start of 2023, only a solitary Farmfoods remained open to the public after Iceland decided to shut up shop.
It took just a few more months before Farmfoods also decided to shut its doors for good, meaning there were zero open shops inside the shopping centre.
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Two years on, and St Catherine’s Place officially closed its shutters to the public. The iconic entrance sign has been dismantled, and it’s now just an old graffitied eyesore.
The rusted gate into the complex has been vandalised with B-rate street art, while bird droppings and rubbish line the floor in the desolate courtyard.
Even the centre’s neighbour – a furniture and electrical store – has since closed down with its front windows smashed.
For a number of years the shopping centre served as a thoroughfare for shoppers heading toward a more populated part of town. The rear entrance to the shopping centre has since started its renovation, after a property developer bought the entire complex.
Construction has since blocked off the exit, meaning there’s no way to access the old shopping centre for the public. The developer, Firmstone, revealed plans for “stylish one and two-bed apartments, some with private outdoor space, set around a central square”.
Its new complex will be named Catherine’s Yard, and construction is already underway. A sole dead rat lay abandoned right outside its renovated building.
A passerby described the old shopping centre as “very run down and needs investment”. They said they didn’t feel very safe in the immediate area surrounding St Catherine’s Place – particularly when walking alone. “It’s just so gross,” they said.
The main entrance to St Catherine’s Place is on East Street, which is Bristol’s largest retail area outside of the city centre. While it too has had years of decline, with some big names moving out – including Argos and Bonmarche – there are signs that things are on the up in East Street, even while St Catherine’s largely remains dormant.
Firmstone’s website said: “We have a vision to revitilise this neglected part of Bedminster by building new homes, creating vibrant new public spaces & frontages, and promoting a more positive future for the local residents.
“Building on the success of Catherine’s House, we’re excited to redevelop this site, and are actively consulting with local residents, Bristol-based architects and planning consultants to ensure the proposals provide a development which suits the needs of the local people.”