Rotherham shoppers have deserted the town centre for an out-of-town retail park

Summary

Jo and Richard Hill have not bought anything in Rotherham town centre for 20 years, and many locals have likewise moved to Parkgate, the retail park that opened on 22 May 1987 and was then thought to be the UK's largest open-air shopping centre. The Guardian reports that Parkgate now resembles any large out-of-town shopping centre, with a Primark, a Sports Direct, a Matalan and a Frankie & Benny's, and that shoppers still like it, with one 66-year-old retiree saying it has everything. The piece asks what it would take to bring shoppers back to the high street, which it describes as increasingly dominated by vape shops, nail shops and charity shops.

Timeline

1. The Guardian

   4 Nov 2026, 15:18 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian reports that Jo and Richard Hill have not shopped in Rotherham town centre for 20 years, that many locals have abandoned it for the Parkgate retail park, and asks what would be needed to change their minds.