New boss wants The Mall to be shoppers' choice

Bright future pledge

BLACKBURN Shopping Centre is now under the ownership of a new company for the third time in as many years. The new firm's chief executive is adamant that they will be different to those which have gone before them -- and that the future is bright for the town centre. He spoke to Chief Reporter DAVID HIGGERSON...

WHEN Ken Ford first walked around Blackburn Shopping Centre 18 months ago, one word sprung to his mind -- potential.

At the time, his company, The Mall, was preparing to bid for the shopping centre for a second time.

Last year, The Mall lost out on the shopping centre, then for sale by Standard Life, to Reit Asset Management, simply because they didn't match its £100million bid.

But London-based Reit, which bought the centre with a view to selling it on for a profit, found The Mall's new bid of around £119 million too good to refuse.

As a result, on Monday, Blackburn Shopping Centre became The Mall at Blackburn -- the company's 21st centre, and one of the largest.

And Mr Ford is certain there will be more changes than just the name and the issuing of new badges to staff, even though he has scrapped existing plans to renovate rundown Lord Square, and announced a six-month review before announcing any new scheme.

He said: "A lot of the centre is looking a bit tired and we want to do something about that. We want to make this the place people want to come and shop, the place of choice for them.

"We know that the Trafford Centre is not so far away, and there is competition from Bolton and Preston (where The Mall also owns a shopping centre), but I know that shoppers would prefer to shop in their own town.

"So I want to make it possible for them to feel they are doing so without missing out on anything. Owners of shopping centres in this country tend to be remote from what is actually going on, but we aren't.

"We want to know what needs improving, what people want to see here, and what would make their visit more enjoyable.

"It would be the easiest thing in the world to come in here with a paintbrush and start doing the place up, but we want to make sure we're getting it right first."

Mr Ford already has some ideas for improvements.

In a speech to town centre representatives earlier this week, he said the car park above the centre would have to be improved, and that something would have to be done about the 'smelly' stairwells which connect Lord Square and King William Street to the car park.

In response, those in the meeting said the air-conditioning needed sorting out, while more of a clampdown on youths populating the centre would be welcome.

Mr Ford said: "We want to improve the whole shopping experience here. That means making the car park more welcoming, and looking at how you get on and off it. It does mean looking at the cost of parking, but it won't suddenly become free.

"It might get cheaper at quiet times, and perhaps we'll go for pay on foot machines rather than pay on exit.

"We'll look at the toilets, and how they can be improved, and do all we can to improve customer service here."

Mr Ford made reference to his fondness of markets, and the role they can play in a shopping centre.

That's music to the ears of some traders in the town centre, who would love to see some of Blackburn Market in Lord Square, although the council is less keen.

"They can be the difference between shopping here and somewhere else," said Mr Ford.

The traders who attended the meeting -- held in Victoria Court, right in the heart of the shopping centre -- gave Mr Ford's promises a warm response, but made clear that promises had been made before.

Standard Life promised to renovate the whole shopping centre, then Reit after them pledged action, only to sell up.

"That won't happen with us," said Mr Ford. "We're the only company to own this centre which only does shopping centres.

"We're not asset managers, we need to develop this business to make money. We need to work in partnership with our tenants to be successful."

The Mall was set up in 2002 and is an investment vehicle for the clients of Morley Fund Management -- part of Aviva, which also owns Norwich Union -- and Capital and Regional PLC.

Unlike Standard Life, which used Blackburn Shopping Centre as a direct asset, and Reit, which buys and sells property as short-term investments, The Mall has been set up to become a long-running, stand-alone business.

Mr Ford added: "We're here for the long haul.

"We're not afraid to try something new, and we are still a relatively young company. But this is our 21st acquisition, so hopefully we've now come of age and have a bright future in Blackburn."