Retail
The main shopping centre is the Sutton Coldfield Mall, which was built in 1974 as 'The Gracechurch Shopping Centre'. It changed its name after being bought by The Mall Company and was, by the end of 2008 rebranded 'The Mall, Sutton Coldfield'. The Mall complex also includes a multi-storey car park. As a result of investment, the appearance of the shopping centre was improved in 2006 which included the installation of a glass roof above one of the walkways and the removal of a public square to form a cafe and extra retail units. There are now plans to construct a food court above Bishop's Court in the shopping centre. The shopping centre was formerly home to three bronze sculptures that depict, respectively, a boy and a girl on rollerskates, a boy with a dog, and a boy and a girl playing leapfrog, which have been moved to Rectory Park.
A second shopping centre was named the Sainsbury Centre until Sainsbury's closed their store; the name was later changed to "The Red Rose Centre". The centre has its own multi-storey car park with access from Victoria Road.
Sutton Parade is a continuation of Birmingham Road and Lichfield Road (though there is a bypass for traffic). New Hall Walk is a row of shops built behind The Parade in the late 1990s. The company that manages the site also manages several of the shops on the Parade built at the same time. It has its own large outdoor car park. Opposite the Red Rose Centre, behind New Hall Walk, is a single floor, indoor market facility known as the In Shops. The exterior of the building was improved in 2005.
There are several local shopping parades serving the suburbs of Sutton, including "The Lanes" Shopping Centre in Wylde Green, at Walmley, at New Oscott (local shops and a large "out of town" style development similar to New Hall Walk called Princess Park), and at Boldmere Road.
Many Sutton shops supply up-market goods but there are also places where economically priced items are on sale.
Read more about this topic: Sutton Coldfield
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