Hollie Newton, Executive Creative Director, Kingland, with (left to right) Denz Ibrahim, Greg Westover and John Grinnell, Dolphin Shopping Centre Manager.
Published: November 20, 2020 | Updated: 20th November 2020
Development is underway to transform Poole’s Kingland Crescent into a boutique high street.
The first of ten new retailers are set to open their doors in the newly styled Kingland in the coming weeks.
They include:
Confirmed retailers due to open in the new year are:
It’s hoped that all will be open by the end of February, 2021.
The regeneration of Kingland Crescent is part of an initiative by the owners of Dolphin Shopping Centre, Legal & General Investment Management Real Assets.
Legal & General say the redevelopment of Kingland Crescent is the first step in its long-term plans for the area which will see innovation and investment in the neighbouring Dolphin Shopping Centre.
It has commited to provide ten retail units to start-up and independent businesses with no rent or business rates to be paid for two years.
Within the next 12 months, further units are set to open as part of the next phase of the scheme.
Legal & General is to also develop a street market at Kingland which will comprise 20 independent vendors.
Additionally, plans are already in progress to bring an annual programme of 300 local events to the new retail space.
Hollie Newton, Executive Creative Director, Kingland, said: “I couldn’t be prouder of everyone involved in the Kingland project.
“There’s no reason why our high streets have to look so sad.
“Dorset has enough brilliant entrepreneurial companies to fill the town centre ten times over, and Kingland is an opportunity to showcase a selection of the very best the county has to offer.
“Young people who have taken the pandemic as an opportunity to rethink, grow and even start new endeavours.
“Long live local.”
Legal & General acquired the Dolphin Shopping Centre in 2013.
Construction work was due to start last year on converting the existing space in the former Argos store and adjoining units into a new-build, nine-screen cinema complex.
Planning permission was granted by the then Borough of Poole in September, 2018, and Empire Cinemas had signed a 25-year lease to operate what was set to be the first multiplex in the town centre.
The cinema development was part of the Dolphin’s £26 million programme of investment with Legal & General.
A spokesperson for Legal & General said: “Legal & General continues to look at the Falkland square area for a multi-purpose development including leisure, office and retail space.
“We will share more details as soon as we can.”
