The Rock Shopping Centre — Local services in Bury

Bury has scored a bit of a win with The New Rock, opening at a time when the High Street began to majorly contract there was a risk The Rock could have become a bit of a white elephant. What actually happened is that the new compact development with it's mix of High Street, Evening Economy and Entertainment has attracted retailers with their smaller High Street formats away from the Old Town Centre and Dated Oversized Millgate giving a good compact feel. The Rock itself could almost be a blueprint for the aspirations of many a metropolitan council.

It's generally well built and laid out although the narrowing walk down from SuperDry to Alfreds and out to West Ivy feels cramped and foreboding and is dark of an evening.

The downside is that The Rock is at the far end of the Town Centre from the Bus Station and Metrostink Station and it's a bit of a trek through the tatty bit of town. There are buses from the back of The Rock but many buses don't go near. The development means that the town centre like many is strung out and has a bit of a dead rotten core.

Parking can be limited, expensive and often full, traffic around The Rock is constrained and flows poorly at busy times.

Cycle parking provision is poor, very poor and badly sited and leads to people locking bikes up in more sensible locations and getting grumbled at by security bods.

There is a lot of residential at the Rock, but as a shopper you'd never know it was there.

The challenge will now be how to redevelop the Millgate, Market and Bus Station while constrained by the big gap between The Metrolink and the rock, neither of which will move. Ideally you'd want the Metrolink to be another 250yrds into town now that town has effectively moved away...

Having grown up with the rain-washed concrete dystopia which was the old Rock, I have to admit; urban renewal does work. The new shopping precinct is replete with wide spaces, glass frontages and diverse amenities to suit any jaded millennial.

The new district is slightly away from the market area and can be found at the northern end of the old Rock. Most major highstreet retailers have now moved here, including banks, clothes stores, coffee shops and of course the beloved M&S. There is now a new cinema, bowling alley and a gym, all of which are linked to a new apartment complex. Ample multi-storey parking is available and it's extremely good value (if a little tricky).

Save for the Church and the market , I can never love Bury (having grown up there). But it is vastly better now and feels like it's moving in the right direction. The days of Sol Viva and Siberia are long gone (bittersweet) and I remain confident that Bury will continue to move upwards...

Not a great deal of choice for shopping.. would recommend diversifying a little or splitting larger shop spaces into smaller units to encourage more vendors and make affordable for growing businesses... Bit disconnected from the local area and it's personality. As Bury is famous for its markets, maybe also offer smaller businesses stalls as there's plenty of space on the walk ways that isn't being fully utilized. Would also fit more toilet facilities for shoppers. A reasonable priced pub, beer garden or outdoor social space would also work well to boost footfall and maintain custom. Personally, I still prefer shopping in the Millgate unless going to Primark or Dauchman.. lots of parking available and what is there is good quality.. atmosphere is just...