Mander Centre

1987-2016

The Centre was refurbished in 1987, when it was described as "a covered pedestrianised shopping complex at the centre of the principal shopping area of Wolverhampton" with more than 150 shops.

In 2003 the Centre embarked on a further multi-million pound refurbishment programme. It was an opportunity to complete the enclosure of the Centre to make it fully climate controlled. The marble floor in the entire centre was replaced along with the relocation of the escalators and stairways. The biggest change was the creation of the large New Look store which took over numerous stores.

In 2010 the Mander Centre was acquired by Delancey Estates and Royal Bank of Scotland from Manders Holdings Plc and its successor companies. In the spring of 2014 this led to heated national controversy when they proceeded to remove a landmark bronze sculpture, 'Rock Form (Porthcurno)', by Barbara Hepworth, specially commissioned for the site and donated by the Mander family and shareholders in 1968. Its sudden disappearance led to questions in Parliament in September 2014. Paul Uppal, Member of Parliament for Wolverhampton South West said: "When the Rock Form was donated by the Mander family, it was done so in the belief it would be enjoyed and cherished by the people of Wolverhampton for generations… It belongs to, and should be enjoyed by, the City of Wolverhampton."

In 2011 it was announced by Delancey that they were going to invest £25 million in the Mander Centre, completing a major refurbishment and reconfiguration of the centre and creating a new 90,000 sq ft department store. On 4 December it was announced that the Mander Centre had been acquired by Benson Elliot Capital Management for £59 million, and that the £35 million investment was still going ahead. It was also announced that the new store that is to be created during the refurbishment will be occupied by Debenhams and will be completed by 2017.^[2]

On 18 November 2016 H&M opened, it was the first major store to open as part of the shopping centre’s multi million pound redevelopment. The store is 31,000 square feet in size, and is the first store in the West Midlands to include a homeware department, and is located in the store formerly occupied by Woolworths. ^{[3] [4]}

2017 to present

Having previously moved to a temporary store Superdrug opened a brand new store on Tuesday 2 May, the store now occupies the former WH Smith store, it marks the second New store opening since the beginning of the centre’s refurbishment.

It was announced in September 2017 that Richard Scharenguivel was appointed as Centre Manager, having previously been Deputy General Manager at the Bull Ring, Birmingham.^[5]

On 12 October, Debenhams was officially opened by former Wolverhampton Wanderers player Jody Craddock and local hero Anne Guest, they were joined by Mayor and Mayoress of Wolverhampton. The new store is only the second New store to be opened by Debenhams this year, the other being in Stevenage and is designed by Debenhams chief executive Sergio Bucher, as flagship store as he wants to encourage shoppers to stay longer. The store is also only the second in the UK to feature a new style deli restaurant called Loaf & Bloom, the other store being Milton Keynes.^{[6] [7]}

Present

In October 2018 shops included: Bonmarché, Boots, Claire's Accessories, Debenhams, H&M, Krispy Kreme, New Look, Starbucks, Superdrug, T.H. Baker, The Perfume Shop, Wrapchic and various smaller shops such as Nicklemen.

Past

Stores formerly found in the centre include:

• Adams Kids - closed 2008
• British Home Stores - closed August 2016^[10]
• TJ Hughes - closed 2011
• Woolworths - company collapsed 2008