Victoria Centre facts for kids
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The clock tower of Victoria Centre
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| Location | Nottingham City Centre, England |
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| Coordinates | 52°57′23″N 1°8′50″W / 52.95639°N 1.14722°W |
| Opening date | 1972 |
| Developer | Intu SGS |
| Management | Intu SGS |
| No. of stores and services | 120 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 4 |
| Total retail floor area | 91,140 m2 (981,000 sq ft) |
| No. of floors | 2 |
| Parking | 2,700 |
| Public transit access |
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The Victoria Centre is a big shopping centre in Nottingham, England. It was built between 1967 and 1972. Inside, you can find many shops selling clothes and other items, plus cafes, restaurants, and an indoor market. It also has the Nottingham Victoria bus station.
Contents
Discovering the Victoria Centre's Past
The Victoria Centre was built on the spot where the old Nottingham Victoria railway station used to be. That train station was taken down in 1967. Only the clock tower and the old Victoria Station Hotel (which is now a Hilton hotel) were kept.
The whole complex was designed by Leslie Martin and built by Taylor Woodrow. The shopping centre is on the ground and first floors. The building is still the tallest in Nottingham! It has tall apartment blocks called the Victoria Centre Flats, which are 26 floors high. There are 464 flats and some office spaces too.
The Amazing Aqua Horological Tintinnabulator Clock
In 1970, a special artist named Rowland Emett was asked to create a unique "water-powered" clock. This clock is called The Aqua Horological Tintinnabulator. It was put in place in late 1972. The clock used to chime every hour and half-hour, playing a tune from a famous composer named Jean-Philippe Rameau. This musical, moving sculpture was a very popular meeting spot for people. Later, it was changed to chime every fifteen minutes.
In 2014, the clock was taken apart and fixed up. It was even shown in a different city, Birmingham, for a while. Then, it was brought back to Nottingham. After more work, it was put back together in a new spot on the upper floor. It looks much like it did originally, with its bright colours and water features. The clock officially started working again on June 17, 2015.
How the Centre Has Grown and Changed
In 1997, the Victoria Centre was made bigger to add more shops, including a new main store called House of Fraser. The rest of the centre also got a fresh new look.
Around 2010, there were plans to make the Victoria Centre even larger. This was to help it compete with other shopping centres nearby. In 2011, the company that owned the Victoria Centre also bought another centre in Nottingham called Broadmarsh. This made some people worried about competition, so the government looked into it.
In 2013, the company that owned the centre changed its name to Intu. So, the Victoria Centre was renamed "Intu Victoria Centre" for a while.
Later in 2013, new plans were shared for another big update to the centre. This work started in 2014 and finished in 2015. It included a new area for restaurants near the clock tower, plus new lights, floors, entrances, and bathrooms. This was the second major update since 1997.
In 2020, the company that owned the centre had some financial changes. Now, different companies manage and own parts of the centre. In November 2020, the centre's name went back to just Victoria Centre.
Exploring the Victoria Centre Market
On the first floor of the Victoria Centre, right across from John Lewis, you'll find Nottingham's biggest indoor market. It's called the Victoria Centre Market.
At the market, you can buy all sorts of things! They sell fresh food, meat, and fish. You can also find special stalls with items like books, jewellery, and sewing supplies. The market is open from Monday to Saturday, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
In 2008, the Victoria Centre Market won an award for being the "Greenest Market in the Midlands."
