A Romford shopping centre is encouraging people to “shop local” as it welcomes a range of new businesses.
Romford Shopping Hall, which celebrated its 90th birthday last year, has undergone a series of changes recently as it continues to adapt to developing shopping habits.
Michelle Fitzgibbons, sales and marketing manager at the centre, said the team have noticed a “significant” change in how people are shopping since the pandemic.
This has led them to take a look at their own services and spaces, one result being they are working to develop “more flexible spaces for business start-ups", she said.
“These include air-conditioning, water supplies and glass shop fronts. These will now appeal to more of the professional service businesses.”
Some businesses have decided to leave, including Arkadia Kardz, which, after 15 years in the hall, left due to a downturn in customers post-Covid.
The shopping hall has however also seen a series of new faces join its ranks, among them Paula Costa and her company, The Healing Corner.
Primarily offering a range of spiritual coaching services, Paula also sells a range of associated items from her unit, including incense and gemstones.
"Spiritual healing is finding the truth about life, about ourselves on a spiritual level,” she said, adding it is her role “to try and help people as a spiritual life coach”.
Others to move in include the clothes store Resell Therapy, SchoolSports4u, a uniform supplier, and Motion Remedy Thai and Sports Therapy.
Jiraporn Robson, who runs Motion Remedy, said she already has several bookings lined up for next week despite only taking on her space earlier this week.
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“We had been looking for this place for a long time,” she said, adding she is pleased to have been able to secure the spot for her new business.
Michelle said there remain some units available for anyone else hoping to “join our shopping hall family”.
With the recent additions now settled in, she added she hopes people decide to “shop local, and see what’s new at Romford Shopping Hall”.
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