Bexleyheath - Town Centre

Town Centre

The modern town area is dominated by a covered shopping centre opened in 1984 (see Broadway Shopping Centre, Bexleyheath), and an Asda supermarket (opened 1988), similar to facilities in other suburban towns and post-war 'New Towns'. A face-lift in 2008 on "The Mall" gave the centre a more modern internal appearance; externally it was largely unchanged. Other developments included the building of "Bexleyheath Square" in the early 2000s as an extension to the then "Broadway", providing more retail units. The 1990s saw the pedestrianisation of the road adjacent to "The Broadway" shopping centre (also known as the Broadway) following the construction of two minor bypasses (Arnsburg Way and Albion Way). Many of the changes to the town centre since 2000 have been in some way a response to competition from Bluewater Shopping Centre, 9 miles to the east in Greenhithe, Kent. Management was taken over in 2010 by Broadway Shopping Centre.

The statue outside the Broadway Centre is "Family Outing" by local artist John Ravera; it was commissioned by Norwich Union and unveiled in 1985. The sculpture, of two parents playing with their son, is based on a Mr G Brazier of Bexley, and was created at a cost of £10,000.

In May 2009 a major redevelopment scheme was approved by the local council following public consultation. This involved the redevelopment of sites occupied by the Bexley council buildings. The magistrates' court was to move to a new building on a site occupied by the library, which would be incorporated into the new development alongside 300 new homes.

In 2012, the local council approved plans to relocate its offices into the former headquarters of The Woolwich, which had lain empty since 2006.

Bexleyheath has drawn a lot of custom to match the expansion in retail space from residents of towns in the borough, particularly from Erith and Thamesmead which have expanded in size with development along the River Thames. Custom is also drawn from Plumstead and Woolwich (in the neighbouring borough of Greenwich). The residents of these areas include a large West African community, predominantly Ghanaian and Nigerian.