WestQuay Education Pack For further information Contact: WestQuay Management Suite 8 – 10 Portland Terrace Southampton SO14 7EG Tel: 023 80236789 E-mail: info@west-quay.co.uk Contents: 1. Centre Overview 2. WestQuay Facts & Figures 3. Customer Service 4. Construction 5. Retailers 6. WestQuay Branding 7. Dining at WestQuay 8. Website Development 9. Watermark WestQuay 10. Archaeological History 11. Corporate Responsibilities 12. Environmental Policy 13. Environmental Geothermal Scheme 14. Charitable Partnership 15. Career Opportunities 16. Awards 17. How to get to WestQuay 18. Acknowledgements 1. The Centre WestQuay Overview WestQuay is a £295 million development incorporating two department stores and 100 shops and catering units on a 33 acre site. The shopping centre covers 74,500 sq m (800,00 sq ft) of retail space across two floors including an additional catering level. WestQuay is a regional retail destination linking Southampton’s existing shopping district in Above Bar to the adjacent retail park. The main entrance to the centre is on Above Bar, on the site of the former Daily Echo building. It extends over Portland Terrace through a glazed pedestrian bridge. From here, an arcade of shops leads to the heart of the centre. A full height glazed frontage in the Food Terrace gives views over Southampton Water. Echoing the historic city walls there is a pedestrian walkway around the shopping centre, which provides the opportunity for visitors to take a refreshing stroll and enjoy the elevated views of the area. The area called Arundel Circus is the major public transport interchange for WestQuay, with buses servicing the centre stopping here. Its main feature is a glass tower, which mimics the old Arundel Tower of the City Walls. Who owns WestQuay? WestQuay is jointly owned by Hammerson UK Properties plc and GIC Real Estate. Hammerson is a development company specialising in large shopping centre and office developments in the UK, France and Germany. GIC is the investment arm for the Singapore government. www.hammerson.co.uk www.gic.com.sg Other town centre/ regional developments by Hammerson include The Oracle in Reading, The Bullring in Birmingham, Highcross in Leicester and Brent Cross in North London. 2. WestQuay Facts & Figures WestQuay is a £295 million development incorporating 100 retailers, including John Lewis and Marks & Spencer, 50 fashion stores and 21 places to eat, drink and relax on a 33 acre site. The centre’s total retail space is 74,500 sq m (800,000 sq ft), five times the size of a football stadium! Southampton was previously ranked 27th in the UK as a regional city in terms of retail space. With the opening of WestQuay, its position has risen to number 13 following London, Glasgow, Leeds, Nottingham, Manchester and Cardiff (source Experian 2007). WestQuay Catchment Core Towns: Southampton Salisbury Winchester Portsmouth Bournemouth WestQuay’s catchment is two million people living within a 60 minute drive. Together they represent a total of £2.32 billion retail spend. Initially, approximately 12 million people were expected to visit the centre in the first year (1.5 million people had visited WestQuay within two weeks of opening) At the end of 2001, a total of 16 million visitors had passed through the doors, a dramatic increase on expectations. WestQuay provides 4,000 car parking spaces for customers. 3. Customer Service The staff at WestQuay are committed to enhancing the shopping experience and the quality of the customer’s visit. There is a team of Customer Service Assistants to welcome you to the centre who will also provide you with assistance should you need it. Customer service facilities and assistance available at WestQuay include: • • • • • • • • • Good transport links and up to date transport information Comprehensive Shopmobility service Effective management of information including a Customer Service Desk and touchscreens throughout the centre Links to other leisure facilities Vibrant open space in the heart of the centre which provides a programme of quality public entertainment, promotions and events Tourist information Lost property assistance Childsafe scheme WestQuay Gift Cards 4. Construction • • Demolition began in September 1997 and WestQuay opened on 28th September 2000 WestQuay’s Multi-Storey Car Park was constructed on the former site of the first Pirelli Cable Works and it measures approximately ¼ of a mile • • • • • • • • • • • • from one end of the construction to the other. The shopping centre itself was built on the former Daily Echo site The development crosses over three major roads. It absorbs a 4 ½ metre change in ground level between east and west boundaries The length of the mall from Above Bar to Harbour Parade is 400m The 20m support structure from the two-storey glazed retail link over Portland Terrace weighs 400 tonnes 15,000 cubic metres of crushed concrete from the demolition has been recycled for use on the site. 120,000 tonnes of excavated material was removed Rubble was taken to tips 50 miles away, involving 5,040 lorry loads The roof lights extend to around 350 metres in length There are a total of 32 lifts throughout the development The steel work took 20 weeks to design, order and manufacture As many as 13 tower cranes worked on the site The tallest crane had a 66m mast and a reach of 65m Southampton’s Geothermal Heat Station supplies heat and chilling facilities to the centre Local residents were kept informed of any significant changes on the site throughout the construction process Materials 138 knapped flint store panels were introduced below the anchor stores to form a plinth, which continues the theme of the old city walls. 3,500 light coloured vitreous enamel steel panels equating to 6,200 sq m were used on the majority of the elevations. More than 16 buff coloured Portland stone panels were used on those facades adjacent to existing buildings. At the curved corner of the John Lewis department store on Harbour Parade and Pirelli Street, 20m high glazing incorporates entrances at road lower ground level through which a bank of scenic lifts is clearly visible. This architecture feature has been designed to be the store’s main entrance. 25,000 tonnes of concrete a month was being laid and 1,200 employees were working on the site at the height of the construction. Architecture and Design The design of WestQuay responds to Southampton’s existing streetscape and features elevations in a range of materials. Portland Stone, buff coloured brickwork, metal cladding and a masonry base of knapped flint faced stone walls have been used to reflect the variety of existing materials which distinguish the different parts of the city: the historic old town, post-war development and the port building. A series of naturally lit internal public spaces, each with its own distinctive character, are linked to form an internal street. The main entrance on Above Bar, identified by a vaulted fabric canopy projecting into the street, marks the start of the route, which leads through a serpentine arcade to emerge into a dramatic Focal Space. Here, the horizontal and vertical scale far exceeds those of the preceding spaces to reveal a triangular three level piazza, surrounded by shopping galleries, to create a magnificent internal urban square. The spatial effect is in stunning counterbalance to Above Bar, providing a natural forum for performance activities, catering and exhibition uses. The catering area at first floor level comprises two-storey units with upper level balconies providing a dramatic venue beneath a spacious roof with views over looking Southampton Water. Other key elements of the revised scheme include a new entrance linking directly to the city’s bus network to provide direct access to the shopping centre for the shoppers using public transport. Externally, the main building features a masonry podium base clad in knapped flint faced stone panels with decorative metal grilles. Above this, a pedestrian walkway with metal handrails and planting troughs wraps round the building as a modern extension to the historic town walls. The two anchor stores have been designed to form two separate buildings, with the John Lewis Southampton building identified through a modular vitreous enameled steel cladding system with ribbon glazed windows, while the Marks & Spencer building features modular steel cladding, exposed metal and stone based columns and large areas of glazing. At roof level a projecting cornice clad in metal oversails the façade to form a horizontal cap and defines the five storey high parapet to the building. The centerpiece of the development linking the two department store buildings is a dramatic barrel vaulted roof and double height glazed façade resting on a gently curved elevation of modular steel panels. A new external civic open space had been created at Arundel Circus. Facing onto the historic monument of Arundel Tower, the space acts as an entrance into the shopping centre. Around Arundel Circus the building takes the form of a series of concentric circles, which gradually step the building back through three storeys away from Arundel Circus space. The result achieves a further prominence for this external space where cafes, bars and restaurants will be sited to create a hub of entertainment. Glazed entrances are incorporated in the sides of the building to provide ease of access, and a glazed entrance rotunda at the North West corner of the site acts as an important landmark and night time beacon. Other external features include a series of exposed steel bridges which connect the development to the adjacent new and existing car parks and a family of glazed and steel canopy structures mark the three separate entrances at Portland Terrace, Arundel Circus and the western multi-storey car park. Internal finishes are of a very high standard and feature simple designs in natural materials to promote the visual emphasis of the individual shop front. Granite floors, metal clad pilasters, plaster ceilings and simple glass balustrades with maple wood handrails are combined with the high level of natural lighting to create a spacious bright interior emphasised by the full height central atrium space. There are several pieces of public art in the centre including a dichroic suspended glass sculpture on the catering level, a light sculpture in the Focal Space and a bronze sculpture opposite Marks & Spencer on the Lower Shopping level. 5. The Retailers WestQuay is the region’s premier shopping destination. Aspirational brands include Zara, Karen Millen, Fat Face, Apple, Coast and Hollister. WestQuay’s anchor stores are John Lewis Partnership and Marks & Spencer. These are the biggest stores in the centre and those which attract most customers. The John Lewis store is one of the largest outside of London. It is double the size of the of Tyrrell & Green store at 25,000 sq m (265,000 sq ft) on four floors. Marks & Spencer is larger than its previous Above Bar store at10,000 sq m (105,000 sq ft) Major Space Units: Zara 18,791 sq ft H&M 30,076 sq ft Next 26,433 sq ft Gap 12,458 sq ft Arcadia 27,987 sq ft Sports Direct 21,683 sq ft New Look 23,000 sq ft Anchor stores: John Lewis 265,000 sq ft Mark & Spencer 100,000 sq ft 6. WestQuay Branding WestQuay works with a London-based creative media agency, MRM Meteorite, who produce the brand creative and execute all collateral. The new brand campaign was launched in summer 2012 and features hero products photographed by Alexander Kent, with brand logos representing different retail therapy areas on the appropriate product image, communicating the key message ‘Where the best brands meet’. The creative remains simple, with the image against a brushed steel background reflecting WestQuay’s spacious and stylish environment. The campaign has been delivered in print and digitally, and WestQuay’s first TV advertisements for several years have also been created as part of the new brand campaign. The ad has a 30 second duration and features an individual female meandering through the shopping centre with her perfect brand logos floating off the stores behind her, as she makes her way in to the fitting room, the logos follow and form together on the dress she is trying, with ‘Where the best brands meet’ as the final shot. The ad will initially run for 8 weeks in the ITV Meridian region and again during the Christmas period. 7. Dining at WestQuay Work began in June 2012 on a £7million re-development of the WestQuay Food Terrace, which is due for completion in November 2012. The development will bring approximately 100 new jobs to the city and the new and improved area will be called ‘Dining at WestQuay’ which reflects the casual dining options and environment which will soon be available to visitors. The re-development will see changes to both the structure and decoration of the existing Food Terrace. The outdoor roof terrace will be extended and covered with a glass atrium offering year round seating with spectacular views of Southampton water, and a new bridge walkway to an upper level will also be featured linking two new eateries with the food terrace. Hit noodle chain Wagamama and Café Rouge – both the first to open in Southampton - along with Pizza Express have been announced as three of the brands joining WestQuay as part of the development. When Dining at WestQuay launches in November, Hammerson expect to see a 5 to 10% increase in footfall to the food area. 8.Website Development In September 2012, WestQuay will unveil a brand new world class website, which is being rolled out across the Hammerson portfolio. The new mobileoptimised site will create an exciting, interactive and user-friendly hub, which brings all the activity, information and promotions from WestQuay’s retailers together in one place. WestQuay’s current website receives approximately 350,000 unique visitors per month and this is expected to increase after the launch of the new site which will feature a host of new functions, such as downloadable vouchers, search engine facility and store suggestions. 9. Watermark WestQuay The development of the vacant four acre site next to WestQuay will be the city’s largest development since WestQuay was built in 2000 and once finished will create up to 1,000 jobs in the city. Watermark WestQuay is a leisure-led scheme set to feature flagship restaurants, a luxury cinema, shops and a landscaped plaza set against the city’s medieval walls which will complement WestQuay and create a vibrant night time economy. Hammerson will submit a planning application to the Council in early 2013. The History of the John Lewis Partnership Background Notes: Mr Tyrrell and the Greens In 1898 the business began as a drapers on the Above Bar site and rapidly expanded until 1920 (when sales surpassed £18,000) and was renowned for its service, with two commissionaires, pages and an Italian chef. In the same year, Mr Tyrrell withdrew, received £45,000 for his share and Mr and Mrs Green were left in charge of what is now a public company. With Mrs Green buying fashion and Mr Green handling piece goods and haberdashery, the business prospered until the department occupied nine houses. In May 1932 the business was sold to Barkers of Mile End Road, London, who cleared out the existing stock at low prices and tried to lower the quality of trade. After just one year, Mr and Mrs Green bought back the business, advertising a second “special re-organised sale” in the Southern Daily Echo of 19th August 1933, with the words: “it is imperative we clear out of stock all goods on hand at the present time in order to recreate the old Tyrrell & Green atmosphere…” The John Lewis Partnership The business was brought by the John Lewis Partnership in 1934. Staff living in the upper rooms had to respect a curfew of 10pm and the buyers were told “it was more than their lives worth” to sell goods dearer that their competitors. Southampton in the 1930s was a vigorous city, home port of the Atlantic liners, Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth. The Second World War hit the city hard and November 1940 saw three weekends of particularly heavy bombing. On the weekend of 30th November 1940, 105 tons of bombs fell and Tyrrell & Green was amongst the buildings destroyed. Tyrrell & Green resumed trading one week later from a small shop in Winchester. Rebuilding began in 1954 and the current Above Bar store was officially opened by the Mayor of Southampton on 7th May 1956. A modern business Today the branch of John Lewis in Southampton is part of a £3.5 billion retail business, comprising of 25 department stores across the UK (including Knight & Lee at Southsea), 118 Waitrose supermarkets and several manufacturing units. The 39,000 staff are called Partners and are part of Britain’s foremost example of a major enterprise run for the benefit of it members. All partners share in the profits they help to make. John Lewis Southampton joins John Lewis, Cheadle (1995) John Lewis, Cribbs Causeway (1988) John Lewis , Bluewater (1999) and John Lewis, Glasgow (1999) in offering all the advantages of the very latest in John Lewis department store design. John Lewis Southampton was the first John Lewis for the new Millennium. The John Lewis store at WestQuay The sharply-angled site means the Lower Ground Floor is seven metres above the level of footpath outside. Ceiling area Lighting fittings Carpet area Miles of cabling Number of blocks Weight of plant roof Number of lifts Weight of pisan marble Total ‘man-hours’ Number of drawings (est) 18,000 sq m (55,000 tiles) 10,000 12,000 sqm 200 miles 130,000 130 tonnes 11 75 tonnes 460,000 2,000+ The history of Marks & Spencer Background Notes The story of Marks & coming together of two people. Spencer is the very different Michael Marks was born in 1859 in what was then Russian Poland. His mother died in childbirth and, as a child he knew poverty and hardship. As a result, he came to England, settling in Leeds where he knew there was a large Jewish community. He couldn’t speak a word of English, read or write, he had no trade and no money. All he knew was that there was a firm in Leeds called Barran that was helpful to Jewish refugees. In 1884 he approached Isaac Dewhirst from Barran outside his warehouse in Kirkgate. Luckily for Isaac, his general manager was with him and understood enough Yiddish to find out about the young man’s background. In the end Isaac offered to lend Michael £5 (a lot of money in those days!), who accepted the offer to buy goods from Dewhirst’s warehouse and peddle them in villages around Leeds. As soon as he had enough money, Michael hired a pitch in Leeds’ open market and Dewhirst’s cashier soon developed a liking for him. His name was Tom Spencer. Michael took a stall as soon as a covered market opened in Leeds, trading six days a week with a range of goods selling for just a penny. During the next two years he opened a similar Penny Bazaar and employed a team of people to look after them. Michael Marks married Hannah Cohen in 1886 and set up home in Caroline Street, Wigan, which proved to be a good base from which to expand his business. They would have five children and a happy marriage. As the enterprise grew bigger Michael Marks asked Isaac Dewhirst to become his partner, Isaac turned him down but suggested Tom Spencer, who eventually invested £300, representing a half share in the business. On 28th September 1894 the firm Marks & Spencer was formed. The partnership was to last nine successful years and by the end of 1890 they had 36 branches, most in the north of England but with three shops in London. In 1897 the headquarters moved to Robert Street in Manchester, and two years later they built a warehouse in Derby Street with better conditions for their staff, a key concern of the company. In 1903 Marks & Spencer became a limited company with a share capital of £30,000. Tom retired at a time of rapid expansion and then died two years later, which came as a huge blow for the company. In 1904 the Leeds Estate Company opened the Cross Arcade in Boar Lane. Michael seized the opportunity and took eight units to open a Penny Bazaar. It was a huge success and Michael soon realised that the future of the company lay in shops. But since Tom’s death, Michael was under a lot of pressure and he died at the early age of 48. This started a fight for control of the business, but despite the problems, by 1914 there were 140 stores and additional warehouses in Birmingham and London. Michael Mark’s eldest son Simon and Thomas Spencer Jr both joined the board in 1911. Gradually the Marks family gained more and more power over the business thanks to Simon’s entrepreneurship, and in 1916 he was appointed Chairman at 28 years of age. After World War One, Marks & Spencer brought the freehold of many of their stores and textiles became an important part of their sales, giving the company a new image. In 1926 Marks & Spencer became a public company and in 1931 their headquarters moved to Baker Street. Their brand name – St Michael – was also created in the 1920s, as a tribute to both Michael Marks and the archangel Michael, the guardian angel and patron of Jewish people. The green and gold fascia first appeared in 1924. The Marks & Spencer store at WestQuay offers 100,000 sq ft of retail space and was one of the first stores in the country to adopt a new image. 10. Archaeological History Archaeological funded by the developers, took place at 1998, while existing buildings and ground works the new shopping swing. There were up archaeologists on the Southampton City Archaeological Unit. excavations, WestQuay Hammerson PlC, WestQuay in demolition of construction of associated with centre got into full to 50 site, working for Council’s Soon after work started, archaeologists found important environmental evidence. In medieval times and up to about a hundred years ago, the bank of the River Test was in the area where Western Esplanade is today. Evidence was found of peat deposits beneath the silt of the river, which indicates that the environment changed many times during the ice ages, as sea levels rose and fell and temperatures increased and decreased. The archaeologists found prehistoric worked flints, including a Palaeolithic handaxe and three Bronze Age pots, deposited in a stack in a small pit, under the patio of the Spa Tavern. They were certainly deliberately placed, perhaps in a burial mound, or barrow. Barrows were often built where they could be seen from a distance and these pots were very close to the edge of the low cliff, which used to back the shoreline of the Test. Roman finds, including roof tiles, hypocaust central heating fragments and pottery were found mainly around the site of the Spa Tavern. The archaeologists did not find any sign of a Roman building, but there might have been one nearby. The archaeology team found evidence of houses being built on the site during late Saxon times, perhaps about 900 AD. The team found holes in the ground which were dug to take strong upright timber posts for the walls of wooden houses. The posts later rotted away, turning to dark soil, leaving only rows of ‘postholes’ in the ground. In one case they found a gap in the middle of a row, with double postholes either side of the gap, which could be evidence of a doorway. The walls would have been filled in with interleaved branches, or wattle. In most cases the floor would be made of bare earth, but archaeologists found gravel layers and chalky layers which may have been floor levels. Layers of natural subsoil, a clay known as a brick earth, may also indicate clay floor levels. The wattle walls were also coated, or daubed, with this clay; which would gradually disintegrate as the building decayed. But if the clay is burnt, perhaps because it is near a fire, it bakes to a soft brick-like texture. Archaeologists found examples of this ‘burnt daub’, which we can recognise because of the impressions of the wattle in the clay. The people who lived in the houses were town dwellers. There is evidence of late Saxon houses on the site of the Bargate Centre, in Bugle Street and right down the High Street to the southern end of the medieval town. The evidence found on the WestQuay site is important because it shows that the town definitely extended a long way to the north of the town walls, which were built in the medieval period. A large late Saxon ditch was found in Portland Terrace. A tumble of rubble at the bottom of the ditch included limestone, flint nodules and re-used Roman building material, so there may have been a ramshackle wall, or a bank with a rubbly face, behind the ditch. The inhabitants of the late Saxon town would have included traders, mariners, crafts people and servants. They would have bought most of their food at markets, but probably grew a few vegetables beside their houses and kept a few animals, such as pigs and chickens. Some of them would farm in the common fields, which have now become the modern parks. They sometimes dug deep pits for their rubbish, which gives us clues as to what they ate given that animal bone is preserved well. Most of their meat came from cattle, with a smaller amount coming from sheep and pigs. From the WestQuay site we found evidence that the late Saxon people also ate horse, goat, hare and fallow, red and roe deer. Other animals eaten included swan, buzzard, crane and raven. There were also frogs and toads in the rubbish pits, but they were probably just living there! In 1066 the Normans invaded England. The doomsday Book of 1086 tells us that many French people held property in the town. The evidence from WestQuay shows that only a few people continued to live in this northern part of the town after the Norman conquest. Most of the houses must have been abandoned and we have very few finds of pottery from the early medieval period (1066 - 1200) except from the area near to Above Bar Street. There is a little more evidence for the high medieval period (1200 – 1350). By the late medieval period (1359 – 1550) there is a lot more evidence that there were a good number of people living in the area again, probably in houses fronting on to Above Bar. Some of them were metal workers. Archaeologists have just found clay moulds and a stone mould for casting buckles. A pit with burning and copper slag has been identified as a furnace for processing copper ore. The meat diet was still based on cattle, sheep and pig. They also ate rabbits, fallow and red deer, conger eels, crow and woodcock. Skinned cats and foxes have also been found. There is evidence that some glove makers lived in Above Bar, perhaps the cat skins were used as clothing and the fox skins as trimmings. There are also bones of rats, mice, hedgehogs and moles, which may have just been living on site. In medieval and Tudor times Above Bar was not a shopping street but a suburb, mainly noted for inns and stables for travellers. A high number of horse bones from all periods have been recovered from the site. One of the smellier trades such as metal working and tanning leather, were usually carried out outside the walled town. There are about twice as many post-medieval (1550-1750) rubbish pits as there were late medieval pits. We have found a miniature brass gun dating to this period. Southampton briefly became fashionable as a spa, from around 1750. The mineral water spring was just north of Arundel Tower, within the site of the development. In Above Bar much rebuilding took place. Gardens were laid out around the mineral spa and assembly rooms were built where balls and concerts were held. A pipe clay wig-curler found on site is a reminder of this period. By mid Victorian times shopping was centered on Above Bar, although hotels, lodging houses and stables were still present. Several theatres and music halls were built. The twentieth century brought devastation in the blitz, after which the current precinct was created. Information kindly provided by the Archaeology Unit, Southampton City Council (Tel: 023 80231381) 11. Corporate Responsibility (CR) What is CR? The World Business Council for Sustainable Development defines CR as follows: “The continuing commitment by business to behave in an ethical and environmentally responsible manner and to contribute to economic development, while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families, as well as that of the local community and society at large” As a responsible business, WestQuay recognises that our activities involve factors that, if poorly managed, have a detrimental environmental impact. As such we are committed to minimising our environmental impact through effective management of energy, water and waste, and in responsible procurement of chemicals and solvents used for cleaning and maintenance around the site. WestQuay has integrated environmental considerations into all aspects of our day to day operations as part of our commitment to continued improvement in our environmental performance. This includes integrating environmental issues into staff training, and raising awareness amongst our staff and retailers of their environmental obligations. We also recognise that we have an obligation to adhere to a range of environmental legislation, policies and standards, and endeavour to meet - and where possible exceed - their requirements. To ensure a high standard is maintained, performance is regularly reviewed and reported with targets for continued improvement being set on an annual basis. WestQuay is fortunate to be part owned by Hammerson, a leading Real Estate Investment Trust operating principally in the retail sector. Hammerson strongly believes that the long term future of business lies in management of existing, and development of future assets that has a positive or neutral effect on the environment. Their own CR objectives are to adopt innovative ways of working and solutions that reflect a responsible approach to the environmental, social and economic conditions affecting their activities. As part of their joint venture with GIC, Hammerson retained full management of WestQuay; as such these values are passed down to the local level and integrated into our daily work practices. 12. Environmental Policy Access for all CR also covers the social and community aspect of business activity. Ease of access for disabled people and those with impaired mobility is of the highest priority at WestQuay. A major investment in a comprehensive Shopmobility scheme has spearheaded the effort to ensure support, assistance and advice are available during trading hours. Electronic way-finding for visually impaired people and induction loops for the hard of hearing have also been installed for use throughout the public mall areas. These ensure both easy access and a welcoming environment for customers to enhance the shopping experience for all. WestQuay requires its retailers to take due notice of the Disability Discrimination Act and the duties it places on those providing suitable facilities and service so as not to discriminate against disabled people, and to take “reasonable” steps to amend practices, policies and procedures that make it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to access the retailer’s facilities and services. Transport With 4,000 car parking spaces, WestQuay has the potential to bring a large volume of extra traffic into the city centre. As such we promote alternative methods of transport to our staff and customers. WestQuay is served by 116 buses an hour during peak times that all stop within metres of the Portland Terrace entrance, with the CityLink bus providing a free link service to the train station and ferry terminal every 15 minutes. The centre encourages the use of public transport via computer touchscreens located throughout the centre which provide customers with up to date public transport information. Single occupancy car use is being targeted through the provision of a Travel Plan which, in addition to promoting the use of public transport as a means of getting to the centre, also provides information on car sharing and bicycle use. Bicycle use is encouraged by the provision of secure bicycle stands which are located at the southern end of the centre. 13. Southampton Geothermal Scheme The origins Following the rise of the oil price in the late 1970s, the government set up a research programme to look into the potential of alternative energy sources for use in the UK. The programme focused on wind, wave and geothermal aquifers containing water at a temperature sufficient to provide heating for a number of buildings. The City Council formed a partnership with a French-owned energy management company, and in 1986 the two partners formed the Southampton Geothermal Heating Company (SGHC). The new company was set up on the basis of a cooperation agreement, with both providing essential components to develop the geothermal scheme. The original well, which currently provides about a fifth of the system’s heat input, operates alongside combined heat and power generators which use conventional fuels to make electricity. The waste heat from this process is recovered for distribution through the 11km mains network. More than 20 major consumers in the city centre are now served by the district heating scheme. These include WestQuay, the Civic Centre, Southampton Institute, Grand Harbour Hotel and BBC South Headquarters. Statistics The district heating scheme: • • • • Delivers more than 30,000 MWh of heat each year Alongside 4,000 MWh of electricity sold from the generating plant Plus 1,200 MWh of power providing chilled water ‘on tap’ And serves 20 major consumers in Southampton Circulating water is pumped around the city: • • • • Through 11km of insulated service pipe Within a 2km radius of the heat station With just 0.5°C/km in temperature loss Offers substantial capital and operating cost saving to all consumers. The Scheme The district heating system in Southampton closely resembles a huge domestic central heating system. Hot, treated water circulates underground from the heat station to a growing number of customers in the city centre and is then returned for re-heating. Southampton’s well is more than a mile deep. The temperature of the water is 76°C at its source and two degrees less by the time it reaches the surface. The water rises naturally within the well to within 100 metres of the surface. It is then pumped to the heat station. Over the years, the most important development has been the addition of the combined heat and power (CJP) generators to the geothermal network. The chilling system circulates cooled water from the heat station through additional insulated mains, which serve WestQuay. A chilled water ‘ring main’ enables WestQuay retailers to meet their air conditioning needs via this unique initiative. 14. Charitable Partnership In May 2002, WestQuay launched a unique partnership with three charities. The partnership was set up with a view to developing and promoting fundraising opportunities and events within the centre. Each year, WestQuay staff select a national, a regional and a local charity that they will support over the coming year. Through collections and activities at the centre, the combined efforts of the Charitable Partnership will go towards promoting the work of the individual charities, give WestQuay staff opportunities to become involved and raise awareness amongst WestQuay visitors. 15. Career Opportunities WestQuay 2000 WestQuay 2000 was a training and employment partnership between Hammerson, Southampton City Council, Employment Service and Southampton City College aimed at maximizing job opportunities and increasing skill levels for local people. The partnership was created for the opening of WestQuay. WestQuay aims to continue maximizing these job opportunities through the support and sponsorship of local job fairs, allowing people the chance to find out more about the careers in retail and catering on offer at WestQuay. How do I get a job? All WestQuay vacancies are listed on the touchscreen kiosks within the centre and on our website which is www.west-quay.co.uk Application forms are available from the info@WestQuay desk on Upper Shopping, or you can apply online. Vacancies are also distributed to colleges and employment initiative offices in Southampton. Once an application form has been completed it is forwarded to WestQuay Retail Liaison and then to the retailer. 16. Awards Since opening in September 2000, WestQuay has won many prestigious awards including the RICS Regeneration award, Purple Apple Overall Marketing Campaign, Purple Apple Best Advertising Campaign, Best New Car Park and Visitor Attraction award for South Hampshire. February 2000 September 2000 June 2001 Marketing Award Destination Southampton Secured Car Park Award Police Best High Street Development Property Week July 2001 August 2001 October 2001 December 2001 February 2002 February 2002 February 2002 February 2002 February 2003 March 2004 September 2004 February 2005 April 2005 April 2006 April 2006 March 2007 March 2007 March 2007 Opening, Refurbishment & Major Re-launch Purple Apple, BCSC Cobra Car Park Safety Award Police (regional) European Week for Safety & Health Best New Centre BCSC Regeneration Award RICS Best New Car Park & Overall Winner British Parking Awards Secured Car Park Awards Police Visitor Attraction Awards, South Hampshire Destination Southampton Winner of Overall Marketing Campaign Purple Apple, BCSC Services to Disability Award Destination Southampton Tom Hillyer Award National Shopmobility Federation Best Advertising Campaign Merit Award BCSC Purple Apple Awards Safe Car Park Award Park Mark Southampton Centre for Independent Living, Access all areas Readers Award 2006 Southern Daily Echo Safe Car Park Award Park Mark Achieving Customer Excellence (ACE) Award Winner 40,000-80,000 sq m Category BCSC ACE Awards Achieving Customer Excellence ‘Top ACE’ Overall Award Winner BCSC ACE Awards Effective Management of Off-street Parking – Commendation British Parking Association 17. How to get to WestQuay, Southampton WestQuay is signposted from the M3, M27 and M271 junctions. Extensive highway improvements ensure smooth and easy access for vehicles. This includes a new carriageway link between Mountbatten Way and West Quay Road, as well as the upgrading of West Quay Road to dual carriageway. Regular bus, coach & rail services all lead to WestQuay, supplemented by ferry and air. There is a free dedicated WestQuay Shuttle bus, the CityLink, linking Southampton’s Central rail station and ferry terminal to the centre. Touchscreens throughout the centre provide transport information and links to the ‘Romanse’ system, which contains up to the minute information on roads and public transport services. Parking and Access The centre provides 4,000 car parking spaces for customers including a comprehensive Shopmobility service. There are three footbridges linking the centre to surrounding car parks for easy access. In total, there are 7,000 car parking spaces within 5 minutes walking distance. WestQuay’s Arundel Circus entrance in Portland Terrace has become a public transport interchange providing drop off points for easy access to the rest of Southampton. Cyclists can access the centre through dedicated routes and cycle stands are provided. Address: WestQuay Management Suite 8 – 10 Portland Terrace Southampton Hampshire SO14 7EG Tel: 023 8023 6789 Fax: 023 80635 615 Acknowledgements WestQuay would like to thank: Southampton City Council John Lewis Partnership Marks & Spencer Sir Robert McAlpine Southampton City Council is working in partnership with Hammerson with the overall aim of maintaining Southampton’s position as the regional capital of the South Coast. The City Council is focusing on ensuring WestQuay achieves the best economic strategic and social benefit for the people of Southampton and their future. It is also the planning authority and had provided part of the land on which the development took place.