Brent Cross
 Inside Brent Cross | |
 | |
| Location | Barnet, UK |
|---|---|
| Opening date | 1976 |
| Developer | ? |
| Management | ? |
| Owner | Hammerson and Standard Life |
| Architect | ? |
| Total retail floor area | ? |
| No. of floors | 2 (3 in the three largest stores) |
| Parking | 8000 |
| Website | http://www.brentcross.co.uk/ |
Brent Cross in London is best known as the first shopping centre of its kind to be built in the UK. Situated on the North Circular between the southern terminus of the M1 motorway and the Brent Cross Flyover in the London Borough of Barnet and taking its name from the River Brent which runs through the site.
It was the first experiment in this style of shopping experience in the UK when it opened in 1976 and was initially constructed in an I shape parallel to the North Circular, with the two largest stores being placed at each end. Subsequent expansion starting in 1995 saw the open parking areas to the north replaced by further shops and multi-storey parking giving the present inverted T shape. Although small by the standards of more recent shopping complexes such as Meadowhall, Bluewater and the Metro Centre in Gateshead it suffers from site area limitations having been built within the conurbation rather than out-of-town. The centre became a 'No Smoking' area on 1 January 2002.
Much of Brent Cross' recent success can be attributed to its Feed Your Addiction advertising campaigns created by advertising agency Baber Smith. Under head of marketing Norman Black, between 2002 and 2006 Brent Cross won 11 awards for its marketing, events and promotional activities.
On 5 January 2004, Barnet London Borough Council approved a "Development Framework" plan to expand Brent Cross into adjacent land formerly used for offices and to regenerate the surrounding area. The plans are jointly promoted by the Greater London Authority and the local council. In 2006, the centre announced plans to start charging for car parking sometime in 2007. Brent Cross currently offers 8,000 free parking spaces. The shopping centre also has its own bus station, open 24 hours and serving 13 routes around north London and the West End.
The nearest tube station is on the Northern Line and was renamed from Brent to Brent Cross tube station when the centre opened. The station is about a 10 minute walk from Brent Cross shopping centre, however the shopping centre is possibly equidistant from Hendon Central station. Despite their names, neither the tube station nor the shopping centre are located in the London Borough of Brent.