Bridgewater, Banbridge
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Bridgewater, Banbridge | |
|---|---|
Shopping outlet and retail park | |
| Built | 2004; 21 years ago (2004) |
Bridgewater (formerly known as The Outlet Park) is a major retail and business development in County Down, Northern Ireland, near Banbridge. It consists of a shopping outlet, retail park, drive-thru units and petrol stations.
 | |
| Location | Banbridge, County Down, Northern Ireland |
|---|---|
| Opening date | 2007; 18 years ago (2007) |
| Previous names | The Outlet (2007–2018) |
| Owner | Tristan Capital Partners Lotus Property |
| Stores and services | 77 |
| Anchor tenants | 2 |
| Floors | 1 |
| Website | https://the-boulevard.co.uk |
The Boulevard
The Boulevard opened in 2007 as The Outlet. the shopping outlet is a home to discount outlets for big-name fashion retailers. The site was empty and struggled with footfall, with only a third of its units filled.[1]
In 2016, The Outlet was acquired by Tristan Capital Partners and Lotus Property for more than £40m from its previous owner Ulster Bank, who acquired it from original owners GML Estates and Land Securities in 2011.[2][3][4][5] Tristan and Lotus invested in the struggling site to become one of the biggest leisure and shopping destinations in Northern Ireland. The investment included opening a 8 screen Omniplex cinema, a McDonald's drive-thru restaurant and an implementation of a glass roof. The Outlet was rebranded to The Boulevard in 2018.[1][6]
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In 2024, another investment was announced, with a Hollywood Bowl opening (the 2nd one in Northern Ireland) and an expansion of the area close to the Omniplex cinema, which will be redeveloped into a food and entertainment quarter. The development is expected to be finished by early 2026.[7][8][9]
Banbridge Retail Park
In 2014, the Bridgewater (then called The Outlet Park) development began to expand, with a new Tesco store opening, this site would later become Banbridge Retail Park when Home Bargains opened in 2016.[10][11]
In 2020, a major expansion of the retail park was announced with 3 phases, The Range, Marks & Spencer and EZ Living Interiors were announced to be tenants of phase 1 of the expansion. M&S and The Range opened in 2022 while EZ Living opened in 2023.[12][13][14]
In 2024, another expansion was announced which would serve as phase 2 and 3 respectively; 5 retail units, a garden centre and 3 restaurants were to be added to the retail park.[15]
In 2025, one of the units and the garden centre were announced to be leased to retailer B&M, who wanted to expand their unit and the garden centre which would take up some of the parking from a Game of Thrones experience nearby, the 3 restaurants were announced to be drive-thru units.[16]
The Gateway
The Bridgewater development expanded further in 2019 with the opening of a KFC restaurant behind The Boulevard, this area would be known as The Gateway. Like The Boulevard, the area is owned by Tristan Capital Partners and Lotus Property.[17][18]
The area quickly expanded from 2023 to 2025, with a Go motorway service and coffee drive-thru, a Starbucks drive-thru and an electric car charging station powered by Fastned.[19][20]
References
- 1 2 "Lotus spending £4m to give Outlet a make-over - and a roof". The Irish News. 2017-01-17. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ↑ "Junction One and the Outlet retail parks to be sold for £40m". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 2016-01-12. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ↑ "Ulster Bank takes over Banbridge Outlet store". BBC News. 2011-06-13. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ↑ "Junction One and The Outlet secure buyers". BBC News. 2016-04-06. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
- ↑ "Junction One and the Outlet retail parks to be sold for £40m". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 2016-01-12. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2025-02-15.
- ↑ "The Outlet in Banbridge set for rebrand as The Boulevard". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 2018-02-27. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ↑ McLaughlin, Sophie (2024-07-31). "Hollywood Bowl to open in NI shopping outlet as part of £9m redevelopment". Belfast Live. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ↑ McKenna, Micheal (2025-01-25). "Famous Hollywood Bowl plans exciting 10-pin bowling leisure and entertainment complex in Banbridge". Armagh I. Retrieved 2025-02-01.
- ↑ "Bowling chain to open second location in NI retail centre as part of £9m plan". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 2025-06-05. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
- ↑ "New Banbridge Tesco Extra store opens at the Outlet". NorthernIrelandWorld. 20 October 2014.
- ↑ "50 new jobs as Home Bargains opens its largest Northern Ireland store in Banbridge". NorthernIrelandWorld. 28 July 2016.
- ↑ McKenna, Micheal (2020-08-25). "The Range plan to open massive 50,000 sq ft store could create up to 80 new jobs for borough". Armagh I. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ↑ McKenna, Micheal (2021-04-30). "Yes for M&S..New £6m Food Hall and 'retail warehouse' in Banbridge up for approval". Armagh I. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ↑ McKenna, Micheal (2022-08-19). "Huge jobs boost for Banbridge with plans for new drive-thru and popular home interiors store". Armagh I. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ↑ Cartmill, Claire (25 July 2024). "The plans are expected to almost double the size of the present site adding over 75,000 sq ft to the retail park". Belfast News Letter.
- ↑ McKenna, Micheal (2025-08-29). "New B&M Bargains store and garden centre planned for Banbridge with major jobs boost on cards". Armagh I. Retrieved 2025-08-29.
- ↑ "The Gateway, Banbridge, BT32 4LF | LoopNet".
- ↑ McKenna, Micheal (2020-06-06). "New £4m service station development along A1 will bring 25 new jobs to the borough". Armagh I. Retrieved 2025-02-15.
- ↑ "'The site is located approximately 115m east of the Boulevard shopping centre'". Belfast News Letter. 2024-06-11. Retrieved 2025-02-15.
- ↑ McKenna, Micheal (2023-06-19). "World-famous Starbucks coffee house to open new drive-thru at Banbridge". Armagh I. Retrieved 2025-02-15.