Shoppers are excited and say Mansfield will ‘take a step in the right direction’ as work to create a new hotel and three restaurants develops. Plans were approved in November 2020 for a 100-bedroom hotel and three restaurants as a part of the £12m Stockwell Gate project.
The site is on a former bus station in Mansfield which closed in 2013 and had been vacant ever since. The three restaurants on the development are set to be Taco Bell, Tim Hortons and Dominos.
The scheme will provide parking spaces, direct pedestrian access to the existing Walkden Street car park, and revamped pedestrian links to the Four Seasons Shopping Centre. Shoppers told Nottinghamshire Live they are 'looking forward to going there’ when the development is complete and say it will ‘improve the top end of Mansfield.’
Read More: Police raid home in Mansfield and find £50k of cannabis in 'multiple rooms'
Shopper Obi Ihezue, a 51-year-old doctor from Nottingham says it’s a ‘step in the right direction’ for Mansfield. He added: “I think it could add value to the ambience of the place. I tend to look at it from a positive perspective.
Mr Ihezue then added he was most looking forward to visiting Taco Bell. He said: “Taco Bell - it just makes me gaga. I think it’s a positive thing - it’s a step in the right direction. I do look forward to going there and meeting friends. The hotel will come in handy.”
The project is being carried out by developers ARBA Group, alongside Tanbry Construction who are their main contractors for this project. Another shopper, Anthony Hutchinson, 55, a hospital porter, told Nottinghamshire Live the development is ‘pretty good’ and will improve the shops in Mansfield that were affected when the bus station moved.
Mr Hutchinson said: “When it shut down it took out this. It will help this top end of Mansfield. It’s pretty good. It will improve the top end. A lot of businesses missed out when the bus station moved.”
Shopper Phil Kerry, who is 51 and from Shirebrook, says it's a ‘struggle’ in the area for food places and the new development is ‘welcomed.’ He added: “To be honest when we go out it’s a struggle in this area. It’s been like this for a long time, for about 15 years at least.
“It’s got to be welcomed. Some parts have really gone down, it's sad.”
Richard Burns, managing director of ARBA, previously said : “There has been a lot of work into getting to the starting line with this project, which should prove to be a superb place for Mansfield.
“The world of construction is very different these days, with rising costs and supply chain issues, but we have worked hard on getting everything in place and we are delighted that work has started.
“As well as Mansfield District Council, we are really pleased that we are able to work with partners that have close links to Mansfield. The majority of the consultant team also hail from, or live in, the Mansfield area."
To read all the biggest and best stories first sign up to read our newsletters here .
