Bentalls

Bentalls is a department store in Kingston upon Thames, Greater London, England. The well regarded 'county' department store began as a drapery shop, founded by Frank Bentall in 1867. It is now owned by the independent Fenwick group, together with one other Bentalls store, in Bracknell, Berkshire. The store was completed in 1935 to a design by architect Maurice Webb (son of Sir Aston Webb) and inspired by Wren's design for Hampton Court. The fine stonework on the facade was the work of Eric Gill. This original facade has been retained with the development of "The Bentall Centre".

In addition to the Kingston and Bracknell stores, Bentalls once operated stores in Ealing, Worthing, Tunbridge Wells, Chatham, Tonbridge, Lakeside and Bristol. The Bournemouth based J E Beale group acquired the lease to three of these sites, where Worthing and Tonbridge stores continue to trade under the Beales name.

The Bentalls department store lends its name to The Bentall Centre (shopping centre) in Kingston upon Thames in which the principal Bentalls outlet is now located. The store previously occupied buildings covering the entire site of the development.

The Bentall Centre, Kingston upon Thames

History and development

In 1987, construction began on creating a new Bentalls department store and shopping centre. This new development was to include a six level department store and a four level adjoining shopping centre including over 100 retail units.

The development took five years to complete and was built in two phases, allowing the existing department store to trade throughout the development period. The new shopping centre was opened in November 1992 by Edward Bentall (descendant of Frank Bentall) and Nick Price from Norwich Union.

Unique features

The shopping centre's atrium ceiling is higher than the nave of Westminster Abbey or the dome of St Paul's Cathedral. The original department store's façade was retained.

Another significant feature of the centre is an escalator which travels from the ground to the second floor. It is the largest single truss escalator in the world with only a top and bottom support.

When opened, a statue of Leonard Bentall by William Reid Dick was placed on the top floor looking down across the whole centre. However when Fenwick bought the department store, they moved it to a secondary location as they believed it affected the sight lines into the store.

The Bentall Centre was the first shopping centre in the UK to adopt a "no smoking" policy throughout.

Retail units

In July 2007, the shops and restaurants occupying The Bentall Centre included:
*
*Apple Store
*Austin Reed
*Baby Gap
*Baron jon
*Bay Trading
*Build-a-Bear Workshop
*Bentalls
*Boots
*Cadenza
*Café Giardino
*Caffè Nero
*Claire's Accessories
*Clinton Cards
*Costa Coffee
*Crabtree & Evelyn
*David Clulow
*Dune
*Early Learning Centre
*Faith
*Fraser Hart
*GAME
*Gap Kids
*HMV
*Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
*La Senza
*McDonalds
*Millie's Cookies
*mk one
*Mothercare
*Muji
*NatWest
*New Look
*O₂
*Paperchase
*Phones 4U
*Republic
*Sofa Workshop
*Sole Trader
*Starbucks
*Suits You
*Supercuts
*Swarovski
*Talbots
*The Disney Store
*The Link
*The London Bedding Company
*The Officers Club
*The Orange Shop
*The Pier
*Tie Rack
*Vision Express
*W H Smith
*Waterstones
*Whittard of Chelsea
*Zara

External links

* [http://www.thebentallcentre-shopping.com/ Bentall Centre]
* [http://www.bentalls.co.uk Bentalls Department Stores]
* [http://www.fenwick.co.uk Fenwick Department Stores]