New businesses open in city centre

The Boston Tea Party is among a collection of businesses that are defying the current financial crisis. The café opened in Old George Mall on Monday.

Centre Manager Jon Osgood said: “It’s exciting times at the centre this autumn, with a host of new stores opening, and we’re delighted to welcome Boston Tea Party to Old George Mall.”

Other new stores in the Old George Mall include major brands Topshop and Topman, Accessory Co. and Fat Face.

Richard Parsons, Fat Face area manager for the South West, said: “Butcher Row has been a really key location in the Fat Face portfolio, however we felt it was about time we went bigger and better.”

Bigger and better seems to be the choice phrase this autumn, with New Look moving in to the former Woolworths building, and Regent Tailoring moving into a three-story shop on New Street.

Regent Tailoring is also joining forces with a contemporary jewellery shop opening next door, which will feature a showroom, resident jewellers and a chic boutique.

Salisbury City Centre Management recently sent out a survey to local businesses checking on performance levels.

Some of the results came back ‘excellent’, with businesses emphasising that there were more tourists.

Lindsay Brown, Salisbury City Centre Manager said: “We went through a bit of a lull for a while, but now the good news is we seem to be coming out the other side.”

“Car parking and the experience people have here is key to getting people in,” she added.

This summer has also seen an increase in independent shops, with Lulu’s, a bespoke gift shop on Fisherton Street; Goomama and ‘Explore! Learn! Create!, both on Winchester Street.

“We need the balance between those national shops, and the smaller independent shops,” added Lindsey.

Salisbury will also see Hotel Chocolat and Shakeaway joining the high street and a refurbishment for Indian restaurant Anokaa.

* For an in-depth report see the October 21 edition of the Salisbury Journal.