There are several major shopping areas in Newcastle city centre. The largest of these is the Eldon Square shopping centre, which incorporates the largest Fenwick department store in the UK and a John Lewis store (formerly known as Bainbridge), which is often cited as the first department store in the UK. Eldon Square is currently undergoing a full redevelopment which will include a new bus station, replacing the old underground bus station and redeveloping the fascia of the centre that faces Grainger Town to allow the 60's concrete to be replaced by more forgiving materials to accommodate its architectural surroundings. As part of the redevelopment the 1970s Green Market will be closed down in early 2007 and rebuilt.
The main shopping street in the city is Northumberland Street. In a 2004 report, it was ranked as the most expensive shopping road in the UK for rent, outside of London. Other shopping centres in Newcastle include the relatively modern Eldon Garden and Monument Mall complexes, the Newgate Centre, Central Arcade and the traditional Grainger Market. The largest suburban shopping areas are Gosforth and Byker. The largest indoor shopping centre in Europe, The MetroCentre in Gateshead is also nearby. |