Gosforth - Shopping

Shopping

Gosforth High Street has been home to local shops for over a hundred years. Shops on the High Street include a branch of Boots, Thorpes (a well established local hardware store), estate agents, hairdressers and banks, among many others. In 1979 the Gosforth Shopping Centre opened on the High Street and connects to Gosforth Central Park; shops here include a Sainsbury's and a WHSmith. There is also a branch of the Northern Rock bank and a Cancer Research charity shop. The park was created on the site of a former nursery for £10,000 and opened on 6 August 1932. A theatre stood on part of the site of the Gosforth Shopping Centre. The stage faced the park and a huge door could be opened to entertain an outdoor audience. The theatre was damaged in a fire shortly before the Shopping Centre was built.

Many shops have come and gone from Gosforth High Street over the years, including familiar names such as: Robinson's Pet Shop which was near Elmfield Road; Boydell's Toys on the corner of Hawthorn Road; Maynard's sweet shop, the Toddle Inn cafe and Laidlaw's hardware and decorating store - all of which were situated opposite the junction with Saint Nicholas Avenue; and Moods - a stationery and gift shop - which stood where the Gosforth Centre is now, opposite Ivy Road.

The High Street had a Woolworths store, which closed on 3 January 2009, due to the company being in administration. On December 10 the former Woolworths store reopened as a Co-operative Food store, after plans to change the store into an Italian restaurant were rejected.

The car park on the corner of the High Street and Salters Road is the former site of a school.

As of spring 2009 local councillors, Trinity Church and Gavin Black (agent for Gosforth Shopping Centre) are working on a strategy for developing Gosforth High Street. Gavin Black are wishing to use a covered entrance near Trinity, bring the entrance of the shopping centre forward. This is hoped to tie in with the Trinity Square development, on the area of land in front of the church. Trinity Square is to be the focal point of the High Street, giving a space for farmers' markets, street theatre and other community activities. There may be a raised paved link across to the shopping centre. This project may cost around £400,000, meaning this may be a long term plan. There was to be a mall refurbishment costing £600,000 in 2010. As of late 2009 units 22 and 23 are currently under discussion for a possible restaurant site. Nick Cott, Councillor for West Gosforth ward, noted that current discussions were about transport issues and environmental improvements.

Gosforth Shopping Centre is owned by Graham Wylie, co-founder of the Sage Group, which itself is headquartered just outside of Gosforth in the North Park development.