29th March 2007 - The first shops open before the official
opening on Tuesday when there is to be a 'programme of events with musical
entertainment'. Exeter College's gospel choir will start the day
with Al Swainger's Monkey's Uncle in the afternoon - ooohhhh, I can't
wait! |
 A general
view of the new Bedford Square and Bedford Street on a very wet Friday
afternoon. The extra glow from the interior lights does lift the scene
a tad. 29 March 2007
|
 A
reflected view of Strada, the glass restaurant with the Cathedral
poking up behind. 29 March 2007
|
 Orange Tree
open further down the street, selling what looks like, furniture and
home style - you can't beat Trago Mills for style, Dawn French always
says (I may be confusing her with her character).... 29th March 2007
|
 Another view
across the new Bedford Square. Strada only occupy the left side of the
new building and the right half will be Exe Shed. There will be two
coffee shops and four restaurant/bistros side by side, so you need
never go hungry when in the new Bedford Square. 30th July 2006
|
Official Opening Day of Bedford Street
and Bedford Square
2nd April 2007 - Eight
hundred and forty seven days after Princesshay was closed to the public
on 14th February 2005, the new Bedford Street and Bedford Square
officially open for business on a sunny, spring day. A temporary stage
for the day's entertainment was erected in Bedford Square - ITV local
news had their van and crew for a local broadcast in attendance, while
the Express & Echo had their little video camera and crew to
interview passers by on their views of the new development. There is
still much work to be done along Princesshay itself, and along Paris
Street and the new Next at Eastgate, all due to open in the Autumn.
Thanks to the shop staff who posed for photographs. |
 Al
Swainger's Monkey's Uncle perform on the temporary stage, entertaining
passers by, along with cafe patrons at the opening of the Bedford
Square area of the Princesshay redevelopment.
2nd April 2007
|
 A view
across the front of Strada with Costa Coffee behind the temporary stage
at the opening of Bedford Square.
2nd April 2007
|
 Bedford Street
is now officially open for eager shoppers, and those passing through.
Debenhams will be open in the Autumn.
2nd April 2007
|
 Staff
ready to go at Crabtree & Evelyn.
2nd April 2006
|
 Staff outside
Neal's Yard, Bedford Square.
2nd April 2007
|
 Stem, the new
flower store along with new staff.
2nd April 2007
|
Focus on Eastgate the Next building
20th April 2007 - Four
photos of the Next building at Eastgate today for your delight. The two
panoramic photos were taken by William Dartnall with a special panoraic
camera. I have added two photos taken by myself of the same building as
it does look quite impressive, if a little large, on a sunny day. |
 A panoramic photo of
Eastgate taken from Paris Street by William Dartnall.
20th April 2007
|
 A second
panoramic photo of Next taken from the High Street. Two of the City's
hanging baskets make a nice juxtaposition with the glossy exterior of
the new store. Photo by William Dartnall.
20th April 2007
|
 The new
store from the Debenhams resturant. Go back to 2nd August 2005 to comapre the old
with the new.
20th April 2007
|
 A blue sky gives a
dramatic view of Next from the street, close to the Virgin Store.
20th April 2007
|
20th May 2007 - Most of the
work is now in the centre of the development, not giving much scope for
photographs. Here are two showing the progress of the construction
along Paris Street, which for some reason, is not so interesting as
that on the other side of the development. |
 I don't know what this
little street is to be called, but it will join Paris Street with the
end of the Princesshay Arcade.
20th May 2007
|
 The view up Paris
Street from the corner of the Civic Centre - not very inspiring, now
and probably not when its finished.
20th May 2007
|
29th May 2007 - The facade
of the buildings at the end of Princesshay, on Bedford Street are
nearing completion, so there are two photos to show the progress. Also,
a photo at street level of the new Next at Eastgate through the wire
mesh and builders junk. The last photo is of the row of campers outside
the Princesshay residential agents who are queuing to buy one of the
first 20 flats and apartments to come up for sale in the Bedford Street
area. The first in the queue signed for the only one bedroomed flat in
the development and was given a bunch of flowers and a bottle of
champaigne, while the BBC and others filmed the event. |
 The
building that will form the left side of the entrance to Princesshay is
taking shape, and is a somewhat better design than the totally, ugly,
new Debenhams. Will the architect of Debenhams email me and justify the
mess, or is he/she too afraid.......
29th May 2007
|
 A
view in the opposite direction towards Bedford Square. It does look
like the concept art that Land Securities produced all those years ago,
so the folk of Exeter can't really say that didn't know what they were
getting.
29th May 2007
|
 The new Next is glass from top
to toe; the ground floor has this large, curved window at street level
to allow the retailer plenty of display space to stick up their Sale
notices!
29th May 2007
|
 After an
uncomfortable week of living in a tent on the street (just like Delhi),
these flat hunters presumably purchased their properties - if they see
this, maybe they can email me to let us know how they did. If they kept
a diary, or would like to write of the experience, I will add it to the
site. Email below.
29th May 2007
|
16th June 2007 - two more
photos from opposite ends of the development. which show some progress
that can be seen from the street. |
 They
are starting to add the facades to the buildings lining the new
Princesshay. A glimpse of the arcade covering of the upper part of
Princesshay can just be seen.
16th June 2007
|
 The opposite corner of
the development shows the concrete heavy multi-storey car park. I
believe concrete is one of the most energy greedy building materials on
the planet - mind you, you can hardly drive a car up a cardboard ramp.
16th June 2007
|
13th July 2007 - a really
dull and murky July day for the two latest photos. |
 The side
cladding on the rear of Next, adjacent to Paris Street is almost
complete. It is not very exciting in what is a dull length of buildings
between Eastgate and Southernhay.
13th July 2007
|
 A view that was not
available before, is the rear of the cottages in Cathedral Close with
the North Tower of the Cathedral beyond from the short alley between
Strada and Cafe Rouge. It is an attractive little vista.
13th July 2007
|
6th August 2007 - a couple
more photos this week from the Paris Street end of the development. |
 The sweep of
the side of the Next building, looking towards Eastgate. It does have a
nice curve, and there are interesting reflections from the sky but it
is a bit dull and grey from other angles.
6th August 2007
|
 The end of
the not very nice rooftop car park, opposite the Civic Centre - I don't
know if this is the final colour, but it is quite attractive as it
reflects the red sandstone on many of Exeter's old buildings. I bet
they paint it white.
6th August 2007
|
3rd September 2007 - these
will be the last photos uploaded of the redevelopment before the
official opening on the 20th September.. |
 The corner
of Paris Street and Southernhay. This sharp edged, glass and steel mesh
homage to keeping the shoppers car dry is having the finishing touches
done to the outside. The shops beneath, are ready for the shop fitters
and in some cases, are complete.
3rd September 2007
|
 Some of
the verandas from the new flats, or is it apartments, a much posher word,
overlooking the top end of Southernhay. The flats remind me of the sort
of apartments you see in
Palma Majorca and Benidorm - they will want to put a swimming pool and
a couple of plastic palms in the middle of Southernhay next. Better get
the towels on the sun loungers before you know who gets there first.....
3rd September 2007
|
11th September 2007 - OK, so
I said there would be no more photos before opening. These two seem too
good to not post on the site. |
 Two of the 560 brand new
mannikins in a rather naked state, stare out of the corner window of
Debenhams, ready for dressing. According to the E & E, all the
stock in the store is new and no stock from the old store will be
transferred.
7th September 2007
Also see the photo essay - Debenhams
last sale |
 The sun catches the window of
the new Next, which will be opening on the 20th September.
11th September 2007
|
20th
September 2007 - At last
- the grand opening |
 
Judy Spiers
starts
the proceedings followed by a representive from Land Securities. Hazel
Slack, Lord Mayor then cut the tape to open the 'streetscape'.
20th September 2007
|
 The Blueboy statue was a
welcome return for the new Princesshay.
20th September 2007
|
 A rain shower brought out
the umbrellas as the throng of shoppers descended like a plague of
locust on the shop fronts.
20th September 2007
|
 Queuing outside Topshop and
Topman, half an hour after opening.
20th September 2007
|
 Looking along
Princesshay towards Eastgate with Topshop straight ahead.
20th September 2007
|
 A misty view of
the cathedral as a sudden shower brings out the umbrellas. Debenhams on
the left
20th September 2007
|
 Some of the shops
opposite the side of Debenhams in Princesshay. The overhanging windows
from the apartments above give the street a more intimate feel.
20th September 2007
|
 Another
view of the Cathedral from the Princesshay, Bampfylde Lane crossing.
This is from the spot where the old Phoenix emblem was situated in the
old Princesshay
20th September 2007
|
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