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Brutalist UK shopping centre to close its doors for good after 50 years

The Kirkgate Shopping Centre in Bradford is set to permanently close on June 18 ahead of demolition, after more than 50 years of brutalist existence in the city

[Kirkgate Shopping Centre in Bradford will finally end its trading days]

Kirkgate Shopping Centre in Bradford will finally end its trading days

A shopping centre in Bradford is preparing to shut its doors for good after 50 years of trading. The Kirkgate Shopping Centre will permanently close on June 18, according to reports.

Several shops within the centre, which first opened its doors in 1976, have already ceased trading or revealed their final closure dates.

A handwritten notice stuck to the window of the Get Free Books charity shop in the mall states: "Due to the planned demolition works to and of the Kirkgate Shopping Centre, we are sorry to have to announce the charity shop's closure. 13th June 2026 will be our last trading day."

[It will close (stock)]

It will close (stock)(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The New Look clothing retailer shut down on Monday. A notice in its window stated: "Thanks for having us, Bradford. This store will be closing on Monday 8th June.", reports the Mirror.

Pound Bakery, situated just outside the shopping centre, ceased operations at the weekend. A notice on the bakery stated: "Customer notice. This shop will be closed from the end of Saturday, June 6. Your nearest shops and now Leeds and Halifax. Sorry for the inconvenience."

The mall, initially called the Arndale Centre, scooped the European award from the International Council of Shopping Centres just years after launching. It is recognised for its brutalist architecture and has been branded Bradford's "space-age shopping centre".

The centre has faced mounting pressure in recent years. The launch of Broadway Shopping Centre in late 2015 also threatened Kirkgate Centre's long-term survival. Attempts to secure listed status proved fruitless, with Historic England branding the building as "lacking architectural flair".

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Bradford Council has now opted to tear down the centre. "We know there will be some affection for the Kirkgate Centre, it has been part of our city centre for decades," a spokesperson for the council said in a statement in April.

"However, towns and city centres have been changing across the country for many years now and we started remodelling our city centre due to the seismic shift in retail trends some time ago. City centres now need much more than retail.

"To be successful, they need a mix of leisure, homes, business spaces, as well as hubs for culture and education. We're already seeing this come to life in Bradford with the launch of Bradford Live, our stunning new entertainment venue and the new, fully occupied, award-winning Darley Street Market. The Kirkgate Shopping Centre will close later this year ahead of demolition starting towards the end of 2026."

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