The White Rose Centre is a shopping centre in the Beeston area of the City of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It spans two floors and is linked to the M621 motorway. It takes its name from the White Rose of York, the traditional symbol of Yorkshire. The Upper Level houses the Centre's 'Upper Circle' food court. There are 4,800 free car parking spaces, security arrangements and on-site Police officers. Although the centre is considerably smaller than other out-of-town shopping centres (e.g. Trafford Centre), it remains popular and has big international retailers such as Zara and H&M.
The centre opened on 25 March 1997 and currently accommodates major tenants including Sainsbury's, Debenhams, Marks and Spencer, Next, W H Smith, HMV, Bhs, Primark, Zara, H&M, Barratts as well as some 100 other stores. The South region of the Centre was re-developed in 2005 taking back space from downsizing the Sainsbury's store allowing for extra units to be added.
The Centre is managed and mainly owned by Land Securities, however Evans of Leeds are also a partner. The Centre has also won many awards over the years, these include a British Council of Shopping Centre's (BCSC) Golds Award, BCSC Purple apple, and Green apple awards. Peter Cook won Out-of-Town Centre Manager of the Year award and the Centre also has countless Leeds/Yorkshire in Bloom Awards under its belt.
Read more about White Rose Centre: Construction, The Upper Circle, Tenth Anniversary Competition, Re-branding, Role in Community, Criticisms of The Centre, Fire, Gallery
Famous quotes containing the words white rose, white, rose and/or centre:
“The red rose whispers of passion,
And the white rose breathes of love;
O, the red rose is a falcon,
And the white rose is a dove.”
—John Boyle O’Reilly (1844–1890)
“We black women must forgive black men for not protecting us against slavery, racism, white men, our confusion, their doubts. And black men must forgive black women for our own sometimes dubious choices, divided loyalties, and lack of belief in their possibilities. Only when our sons and our daughters know that forgiveness is real, existent, and that those who love them practice it, can they form bonds as men and women that really can save and change our community.”
—Marita Golden, educator, author. Saving Our Sons, p. 188, Doubleday (1995)
“And all shall be well and
All manner of thing shall be well
When the tongues of flame are in-folded
Into the crowned knot of fire
And the fire and the rose are one.”
—T.S. (Thomas Stearns)
“Here in the centre stands the glass. Light
Is the lion that comes down to drink. There
And in that state, the glass is a pool.
Ruddy are his eyes and ruddy are his claws
When light comes down to wet his frothy jaws”
—Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)