Creasey’s Department Store has announced plans to redevelop its High Street premises.
Creasey’s plan to redevelop their High Street flagship store and incorporate 13 High Street, the building previously occupied by HSBC.
In the initial stages 13 High Street will have new floors installed to align with the floors of the Department Store next door. The granite
facade to the High Street will be preserved, but a new façade will be constructed overlooking the Quayside. Three escalators will be incorporated to move customers up through the building to the upper floors.
The top floor of the Department Store will be rebuilt to provide a new Coffee Shop/restaurant which will have stunning views looking out over the harbour and to the neighbouring islands.
Once openings are created into the new space within 13 High Street, customers will be rewarded with a much easier store to navigate and move around.
Managing Director Peter Creasey said: “This is
a massive, multi million pound investment which will carry our business into the next few decades. Everyone knows how tough retail is at the moment, but we could not resist the opportunity presented by the closure of HSBC’s branch at 13 High Street. We know a lot of shopping is now done online, but we also know that many islanders and visitors still enjoy the social experience of a visit to town. We absolutely believe in the future of the High Street and we will be looking to make shopping and spending time in St Peter Port a really satisfying experience.”
The new space will allow Creasey’s to introduce more services, which could include hairdressing, nail bars and beauty rooms.
The changes will also help Creasey’s address many
of the difficulties experienced by those with mobility issues. Floors will be step free and the lift and escalators will make visiting any of the floors easier for everyone.
After several months of preparation and preliminary meetings with planners, a formal planning application has now been submitted. However there is still be a lot of detail to be resolved and it is unlikely that any work will start before the middle of 2020, with completion some time during 2021.
