Southampton City Centre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Southampton City Centre |
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The historical Bargate in the city centre. |
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 Southampton City Centre
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| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SOUTHAMPTON |
| Postcode district | SO14 |
| Dialling code | 023 |
| Police | Hampshire |
| Fire | Hampshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | |
Southampton City Centre is the main area for shops, businesses, and transport in the city of Southampton. It's like the heart of the city! Even though it's called the "city centre," it's actually at the very south end of Southampton. This is because Southampton is located right on the South Coast of England.
The oldest part of the city centre is the High Street. This street goes from the Town Quay (where boats are) all the way to the Bargate. The Bargate was once a big gate that protected the old walled city. As Southampton grew, the main shopping area moved north of the Bargate, into Above Bar Street. Later, new land was created by filling in parts of Southampton Water to the west. This led to even more growth, creating an area now known as West Quay. This area is famous for the huge Westquay shopping centre, which opened with about 100 shops.
The city centre's northern edge is marked by the beautiful Southampton Central Parks.
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Discovering Southampton's Culture
Southampton City Centre has some cool places to learn about history! Especially in the "Old Town" area, you can find several museums. These include the Tudor House Museum, which is a very old house, and the Medieval Merchant's House, showing how people lived long ago. There's also the Maritime Museum, where you can explore the city's connection to the sea.
Shopping Fun in the City Centre
The main places to shop in Southampton are around Above Bar Street (some parts are just for walking!), London Road, High Street, and East Street.
There are two big indoor shopping centres here: Westquay and the Marlands Shopping Centre. There were also two others, Bargate and EaSTreet, but they are now closed. You can also find the West Quay retail park in the city centre, which is different from the Westquay shopping centre.
The Marlands Shopping Centre first opened its doors on September 5, 1991. It got a fresh new look in 2005–2006, with a better entrance and a new information desk. It used to have fun fountains, but they were turned off for safety reasons.
On February 12, 2009, the famous Swedish furniture store IKEA opened a large store on West Quay Road.
East Street Shopping Centre: A Look Back
The East Street Shopping Centre, also called EaSTreet, was one of Southampton's first indoor shopping centres. It was built in the 1970s right over East Street, blocking off the road.
This centre was not very successful because it was a bit outside the main shopping area. It had shops, a big office tower, a car park on the roof, and a pub. Over time, many shops left, and it became mostly empty. The last shop moved out in 2012.
In 2012, plans were approved to knock down the East Street Shopping Centre to build something new. Demolition started in October 2013. The original idea was to build a new supermarket and a walking path. However, these plans changed, and the site is now waiting for new development ideas.
Bargate Shopping Centre: Past and Future
The Bargate Shopping Centre, named after the famous Bargate landmark, opened in 1989. It was known for its special shops, like technology stores, a nail salon, and a photo studio. It even had a Sega Park arcade, which was very popular with teenagers!
The centre had two levels and a simple design. It also had a multi-storey car park. Unlike many other shopping centres from its time, the Bargate Centre never got a big makeover.
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Even though it wasn't as popular as Westquay, the Bargate Centre was a favorite spot for teenagers because of its unique fashion stores and the Sega Park arcade.
In 2013, all the shops in the Bargate Centre were asked to leave, and the centre closed on June 10, 2013. The company that owned it had faced financial problems. However, the car park reopened in 2015.
In 2014, there were plans to knock down the Bargate Centre and build new shops and flats. These plans moved forward, and demolition work began on November 24, 2017. The area is being redeveloped into a new street with shops and homes.
Marlands Shopping Centre: A Unique Design
The Marlands Shopping Centre opened on September 5, 1991. It was the biggest shopping centre in Southampton at the time. Today, it's much smaller than Westquay, which opened later.
The Marlands Centre has a unique, modern design. It was built where Southampton's bus station used to be, along with a rose garden and some old houses. Some parts of the old house fronts were kept and are now part of the centre's inside area.
The centre has two levels, connected by escalators and glass lifts. It doesn't have its own car park. Instead, you can park in a nearby car park that's connected by a bridge, which you reach by going through a unique ASDA supermarket built on a slope!
West Quay Retail Park: Big Stores and More
The West Quay Retail Park is like an outdoor shopping area with very large stores, but it's right in the city centre. It has many big warehouse-style shops. The main store here is IKEA, the Swedish home goods giant. Other stores include Argos, Boots, Curry's PC World, and Next.
This retail park also has places to eat, like McDonald's, T.G.I. Friday's, and a Costa Coffee inside Next. It's also home to Southampton's geothermal power plant, which uses heat from the Earth!
Westquay Shopping Centre: The City's Largest Mall
Westquay is Southampton's biggest and newest shopping centre. It has a huge area of about 74,000 square meters and is home to around 100 shops. You'll find many popular brands here, like John Lewis, Marks and Spencer, Zara, Apple, and Waterstone's.
It's located right in the city centre, close to the docks. You can enter from Above Bar Street, Portland Terrace, or even through John Lewis or Waterstone's. It also has a large multi-storey car park connected to the centre. Building work started in 1997, and the centre officially opened on September 28, 2000.
Getting Around: Transport in Southampton
Buses: Your Ride Around Town
There are two main places where buses start and end their journeys: Vincent Walk and Westquay/Albion Place. The main bus company in the city is Bluestar. Most buses go through Westquay/Albion Place and finish at Vincents Walk. However, buses going to the Waterside (like Totton and Fawley) and Salisbury Reds buses end at Westquay. The Unilink bus service, which connects to the university, also stops at Westquay.
Coaches: Travel to Other Cities
If you want to travel further, there's a National Express coach station at the West Quay retail park. It's just a short walk from the main railway station.
Ferry: Across the Water
Ferry services run across Southampton Water to places like Hythe and Cowes (on the Isle of Wight). These ferries leave from Town Quay and are operated by Red Funnel.
Train: Connecting Southampton
Southampton Central railway station is located in the north-west part of the city centre. It's on the South West Main Line, which means you can catch frequent trains to local areas, as well as to big cities like London and Manchester. The station is managed by South Western Railway.
Waterfront Views
Southampton's waterfront is a busy and interesting area. You can see ships and enjoy views of Southampton Water. The Westquay shopping centre is visible from here, along with the spires of historic churches. It's a great spot to watch boats or just enjoy the scenery.
