Shoppers have shared their ambition that the opening of a £4 million project will 'help their town thrive'. The recently finished AMP building at Arnold Market Place will soon be the new home of several start-up businesses as well as the town's Post Office, which will be the first to open its doors to the public on October 13.
There will be a wine tasting experience outlet, a cat and dog accessory and treats store, a cake shop and a delicatessen to go alongside the Post Office, which has relocated from nearby Worrall Avenue. The site was the home of Arnold Market for more than 50 years, but in 2018 Gedling Borough Council purchased the land and work started in 2020.
Stallholders moved to nearby Eagle Square while the works were carried out and plans are in place for the traders to stay at the location. The council's future plans for the new public space at AMP will include increasing the use for community events, as well as specialist evening and weekend markets.
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Local residents thought the delayed wait for the project's opening would prove worthwhile. Lizz Everitt, 57, from Arnold said: "I'm born and bred in Arnold and it is exciting, hopefully it will encourage growth here.
"It sounds like it will be supporting local businesses too, which is always good. It looks really impressive, but I suppose it did cost a lot of money.
"Once it is full up I'm hoping it will keep shoppers coming into Arnold and helps it to thrive. It's a great place to live, so we need to get more shoppers visiting."
Sandra Todd, 68, and Glynn Todd, 75, thought the new building would keep people from surroundings areas coming to the town. Mrs Todd said: "It should help Arnold stay a good place to shop, it has made the area look a lot better - it just depends on whether the shops are a success.
Mr Todd added: "It had become a bit of mess before this was built. People come from the towns and in the city to shop here - I think the wait will be well worth it."
Up to £4 million was allocated to the project as part of Gedling Borough Council's plan to revitalise the centre and attract visitors, which they say is the most significant investment the town centre has ever had. Funding for the project came from the council's capital programme budget, boosted by a successful bid for £1.25 million from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership’s Local Growth Fund that supports town centre improvements.
John Townsend, 84, a retiree from Sherwood who spends a lot of time in Arnold, said: "It looks a lot smarter and more modern than it did before - it was a mess. I think visually at least it is a big improvement.
"Now that it is finally finished I'm sure it will be a good thing for the town it's already made a difference. It looks a lot better, but whether the businesses will be successful I have no idea until it gets started."
A small ceremony will take place on Tuesday, October 11 to celebrate The AMP being officially handed over to Gedling Borough Council. A time capsule, designed by local school children from Robert Mellors Primary School, will be placed into the ground on the site.
Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke said; “We are incredibly pleased to announce that the AMP building is officially complete and our new tenants will begin moving in to this wonderful new building in the heart of Arnold Town Centre.
"I would like to thank everyone involved in helping getting this ambitious project over the line, it has taken an colossal amount of work to get this done by Gedling Borough Council staff, G F Tomlinsons and several other partners who all contributed to this project and made it a success. We made a manifesto pledge that we would revitalise the town centre and this will be the jewel in the crown for Arnold.”
Deputy Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor Michael Payne said: “This new flagship building and public square will bring new business to Arnold and boost the economy for the existing businesses in and around the town centre. This is something that everyone can be proud of, not just in Arnold but also in our surrounding towns and communities.
"This investment, one of the largest investments there has ever been in Arnold, has come at a time when the council is still one of the worst affected councils in the country in terms of funding cuts from central government. We are incredibly proud that we have reached this remarkable milestone despite the significant financial pressures the council is under. The AMP is here and we hope residents and businesses will support it and be proud of the things we can achieve together as a community.
"We are also committed to revitalising and investing in our other fantastic local town centres and high streets across the borough. We are investing in Carlton Square, have secured a significant amount of funding to make our streets safer in Netherfield and have invested in a dedicated team working to support our small businesses across the borough."
Will Morlidge, Chief Executive of D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership added: “D2N2 is delighted to be one of the co-funders of this strategically important town centre regeneration project. Apart from the initial 40 new jobs, this will potentially assist further new investment in the locality.”
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