Full to bursting – Coppergate Centre is York’s shopping success story

While many of York’s streets have seen shops close down in recent months, there is a retailing success story right in the heart of the city.

The Coppergate Centre is now fully occupied – and one reason given for the good news is that it is family friendly as it is not on the stag and hen trail.

In recent weeks the new Pavers store opened in the last spot on Coppergate Walk. And Hubble Bubble Tea has taken the final unit, the former change kiosk in St Mary’s Square.

Something special

“We have something special down at the Coppergate Centre, with a great mix of cultural attractions – Jorvik Viking Centre, St Mary’s Church and Fairfax House – retail which appeals to the widest range of shoppers, from luxury brands to affordable fashion, and food and drink with indoors and alfresco dining available to suit the changing seasons,” said Coppergate centre manager Pippa Unwin.

She added:

• Perhaps most significantly, as we have no pubs or bars, this is not an area frequented by stag and hen parties, which means that it is still very family friendly even at the busiest times of the weekend.

  And with on-site parking and buses stopping right outside Primark on Parliament Street, it is accessible to residents and tourists alike.
  

Coppergate benefited from the re-opening of Jorvik Viking Centre last year. And its suspended umbrellas have become a must-see for tourists and the Instagram generation.

“The umbrellas add a lovely touch of colour throughout the year, and with our winter lights taking over from November to February, this is a tremendously welcoming part of the city centre,” Pippa said.

This summer the centre laid down artificial grass over the centre of the square, added deckchairs and screened Wimbledon on a big screen. This also proved popular.