Queens Square in cafes and bars plan to draw in West Bromwich shoppers
Shops could be turned into restaurants, cafes, bars or even a pub at a Black Country shopping centre at the heart of a £7 million revamp in a bid to draw in new customers.
Queens Square Shopping Centre in West Bromwich is undergoing the multi million pound overhaul to bring it in line with other new developments in the town.
However, many of the retail units at the centre in High Street remain empty.
Now bosses Fairacre have submitted a planning application to Sandwell Council to change the use of units 16-23 from retail to restaurant, cafe, public house, bar and takeaway use to attract more visitors.
The units in question are located on the west side of the shopping centre, facing the pedestrianised zone in front of The Public arts centre and New Square.
Refurbishment at the centre includes a new main High Street entrance, improved malls and new toilets.
It will also be given a brighter feel thanks to plans to introduce more daylight into the shopping centre.
The first phase of work, which sees improved malls and the new entrance installed, is under way and will be completed by spring 2014.
Queens Square shopping centre remains open throughout its makeover.
Nearly £7m, including a £3m contribution by Sandwell Council, is being invested on improving the shopping centre in the coming years.
Last week the Express & Star revealed that bosses behind New Square had won planning permission to turn some of the centre's remaining units into takeaways, as the previous planning permissions did not include hot food takeaways.
The move has been made following inquiries about availability from certain retailers.
The work complements other work currently being undertaken by Tesco at the shopping centre to link it to the £200m New Square development, as well as the ongoing £8.2m Public Realm project to revamp the pedestrian high street, with new paving, seating, lighting and landscaping.
The news of the potential alternate uses at Queens Square comes after the owners of Kings Square shopping centre in the town announced they have returned to profit in the first six months of this year.
Bosses revealed last week that the centre, which was built in the 1970s, is seeing a boost due to the ongoing regeneration in the town.
