God. Remember when Primark ditched the Royals Shopping Centre back in 2020? Left a gaping wound in Southend's retail landscape that's been festering for nearly five years. Well, FINALLY something's happening.
I popped down there yesterday to check out the progress (mostly because my nosy neighbor insisted the signs were up), and yep - Dunelm is officially moving in! Their blue and yellow logo is already plastered across the storefront like they're marking their territory.
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The "Lakeside Pilgrimage" Might Actually End
For anyone living in Southend who's been desperate for decent homeware, this is massive. We've all been making teh dreaded trek to Lakeside in Grays - a solid two hours of your life wasted just to buy some bloody cushions and bedsheets.
Beverley Burns (one of those chatty types who'll tell you her life story while waiting for a bus) told the Southend Echo she's "really excited" about the development. The 39-year-old Scotland transplant lives practically next door to the Royals and has apparently been feeling the Primark-shaped void since they relocated further down the high street.
She's hoping this might trigger some kind of retail renaissance. Aren't we all, Beverley.
What's happened to our once-bustling shopping scene?
I've lived in Essex since 2011, and I've watched Southend's retail scene slowly crumble like a digestive biscuit in hot tea. First Primark abandoned ship (though at least they stayed in town), then Debenhams collapsed entirely... that end of the high street has been about as lively as my aunt's 80th birthday party.
Dominique Goddard, 50, summed it up perfectly when she told reporters: "The whole of the Royals has felt a bit empty for a while, it needed some big names."
Empty is an understatement.
The £££ Reality
Let's be honest - this isn't just about convenience. It's about cash. I've probably spent over £600 at Dunelm in the last year alone (my partner would say closer to £1K, but what does he know?). Between redecorating our spare room and replacing all the kitchen stuff my teenage son somehow destroyed, those Lakeside trips add up.
And I'm not alone. Andrew Stanton, some 58-year-old bloke from Rayleigh, admitted he currently schleps all the way to Basildon's Mayflower Retail Park for his Dunelm fix. Poor Andrew. With Debenhams gone, he said there was "no reason to come into Southend" - ouch, but fair.
Will This Actually Save The Royals?
Work's already underway inside the shop. I tried peeking through the papered-up windows (looking like a proper weirdo in the process) but couldn't see much beyond some scaffolding and a couple of workers who gave me a "move along" look.
The real question: is one mid-range homeware store enough to revitalize an entire shopping centre? My cousin who works in commercial property would laugh at the suggestion. "One swallow doesn't make a summer," he'd say in that annoying know-it-all voice.
But it's a start.
The Bedroom Makeover Brigade
Beverley mentioned she's planning to redo "Bailey's bedroom" next - and I immediately felt that in my soul. Nothing says "British parent" like perpetually redecorating your kid's room while they complain about the color scheme you've chosen.
And adn now she won't have to drive to Lakeside. Revolutionary.
I remember when my daughter turned 13 and suddenly decided her perfectly nice yellow bedroom was "literally disgusting" and needed to be grey. GREY. Like we live in some kind of minimalist Scandinavian design magazine. Spent £400 at Dunelm that weekend and she changed her mind again six months later.
The Bigger Picture
Dunelm isn't the only retailer expanding in these weird post-pandemic times. B&M apparently has 29 new locations in the pipeline. It's like watching retail musical chairs - some collapse dramatically (RIP Debenhams) while others swoop in to pick at the carcass.
Listen. I'm not saying a Dunelm is going to single-handedly save Southend's retail scene. But when you've watched your local high street slowly dying for years, you'll cheer for literally any sign of life.
I'll be there on opening day. Probably buying throw pillows I absolutely don't need.
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