Eastgate Centre: how retail trends have changed the Highlands’ shopping mall

Shopping trends come and go, but the Eastgate Centre in Inverness has been a constant in the heart of Inverness for more than 40 years.

The original centre opened in 1983 with 34 shops operating under the one roof.

What were the first shops in the centre?

Marks & Spencer, Boots, Fine Fair Supermarket, Mothercare, Ratners Jewellers and Dorothy Perkins were among the stores in the early days.

People also remember fondly some of the first food outlets, including KFC, Pizza Hut and Lorimers.

Another feature was the Noah’s Ark clock which was an instant hit with shoppers and their children.

It is still a popular gathering place to see and hear the landmark timepiece come to life on the hour.

Extension almost doubled the number of stores

In 1997 plans were submitted to nearly double the number of Eastgate Centre outlets to 64.

A £70 million extension was completed in 2003 and included a bridge link to the other side of the road and to the Safeway Superstore.

At the time Eastgate II was one of the most impressive planning projects in Scotland.

It was expected to bring an additional 70,000 shoppers a week to the 160,000 already visiting Eastgate.

Debenhams switched to Eastgate

The extension opened in 2003 with a three-floor Debenhams as its anchor.

Debenhams was originally expected to anchor another shopping development in Inverness.

However, the plans by MFI Properties in nearby Academy Street did not go ahead.

The extension brought more new retailers including Mango, Schuh, La Senza, New Look, Principles, East, Claire’s Accessories, Warehouse, H&M, USC, Warner Bros, Ottakar’s and Quiz.

As part of the project, a 100-year-old warehouse was demolished and rebuilt 50 yards away in Falcon Square at a cost of more than £1 million to use for retail.

Centre brings out the crowds

An estimated 250,000 shoppers flocked to the new Eastgate II the weekend after it opened.

The final piece of public art was completed with the unveiling of a 71ft hooded falcon sculpture in Falcon Square.

The following year, Christmas shoppers swelled the number of people visiting Eastgate to 500,000 in the first two weeks of December.

A proposed revamp in 2016 envisaged a rooftop bar, civic space, restaurants and a multiplex cinema which did not happen.

New food court opens

Debenhams shut in 2020 and the centre has also seen a number of shop closures including most recent departures Crew Clothing, Joules and Schuh.

In 2023 a £2 million new food court opened including a traditional Scottish restaurant from former MasterChef: The Professionals champion Gary Maclean.

Recently the centre has introduced non-retail outlets to adapt to shopping habits.

These include a Royal Bank of Scotland branch, a NHS vaccination centre and the Highlands’ first Discovery College.

Could we see a car showroom, library or museum next to shops in the Eastgate Centre of the future?