Surrey Quays Shopping Centre facts for kids
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| Location | London |
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| Address | Surrey Quays, Redriff Road |
| Opening date | July 1988 |
| Management | Surrey Quays Limited |
| Owner | British Land |
| No. of stores and services | 43 |
| Total retail floor area | 309,000 square feet (28,700 m2) |
| No. of floors | 2 |
| Parking | 1,300 |
| Public transit access | Canada Water station Surrey Quays station |
Surrey Quays Shopping & Leisure is a popular shopping centre in Rotherhithe, London. It's a great place to find many stores, grab a bite to eat, or enjoy some fun activities. The centre is currently owned by a company called British Land.
Surrey Quays Shopping opened its doors in July 1988. Before it became a shopping centre, the area was part of the London Docklands. Over the years, the local transport has improved, and more homes have been built nearby. This makes it easier for people to visit the shops.
The shopping centre has more than 40 stores, including a big Tesco supermarket. There are also 1,300 parking spaces for cars and a food court where you can find different places to eat.
In August 2019, British Land announced plans to rebuild the shopping centre. The new plans include new stores, green spaces, and homes. These plans were approved in October 2019, and work is expected to begin in 2022.
Contents
A Look Back: How Surrey Quays Started
From Docks to Shops
The land where Surrey Quays Shopping now stands was once a busy dock. These docks were used for ships and boats. However, most of the Surrey Docks shipyards closed in the early 1970s. This happened because the way goods were transported changed. After the closures, the land was left empty, and the docks were filled in.
Building a New Future
The area got a new start when the London Docklands Development Corporation began to rebuild it. Construction of Surrey Quays Shopping started in late 1985. It was finished just in time for its opening in July 1988. At the same time, new homes were built nearby. This helped make sure there would be plenty of customers for the new shops.
Even today, many local people still call the area Surrey Docks. You might even see the old name on some road signs around the area.
Adding Fun and Entertainment
In 1998, a leisure park opened right next to the shopping centre. This park has fun places like an Odeon Cinema (it was called UCI back then). It also has a Hollywood Bowl for bowling and several restaurants where you can eat.
Surrey Quays Today
Surrey Quays Shopping still looks quite similar to when it first opened. However, some changes have been made over the years. For example, the Tesco store was made bigger in 2008.
One interesting change was the removal of a dolphin sculpture and fountain. This fountain, created by David Backhouse, used to be in the main part of the shopping centre. It was removed in the early 2000s to create more space for seating and sales areas.
Getting to Surrey Quays
Public Transport Options
Surrey Quays Shopping is easy to reach by public transport. It is very close to Canada Water Underground station. This station is served by the Jubilee line and the London Overground's East London Line. Canada Water also has a bus station. From here, you can catch many different London bus routes. The shopping centre also has its own bus stops. Most local buses stop here before or after going to Canada Water.
Another nearby station is Surrey Quays Station. This station is also on the London Overground's East London line.
Driving and Parking
If you come by car, the shopping centre has a large car park with 1,300 spaces. There is also a mini cab rank available for taxis.
