The owners of the Lowry shopping centre in Salford are under fire for proposals to drop the name of the city’s most famous artist in an effort to rebrand the site as a less “soulless” retail outlet.
Peel bosses, who bought the Lowry Outlet shopping centre at MediaCityUK for £70m in 2012, have announced it will be now been known as Lifestyle Outlet Manchester – despite the fact it is in Salford.
They say they want to “redefine” the shopping centre, opposite the theatre also named after the 20th century painter LS Lowry, and challenge its “soullessness”. The move has caused outrage among fans of the artist.
It comes just months after the shopping centre added “Manchester” to its name, despite it being situated entirely in Salford.
Last year, art lovers and councillors criticised chiefs at the property development company, which also owns the Trafford Centre, for putting up a new sign reading: “Lowry Outlet MediaCityUK, MANCHESTER”.
Salford councillor John Warmisham said he was sick and tired of people jumping on the back of the success of Salford Quays by describing it as being in Manchester.
He said: “It’s an awful name for a shopping centre – plus it’s in Salford, not Manchester. How they can get rid of the Lowry name, I don’t know. The whole project, with the theatre, was about him from the start, as one of Salford’s favourite sons.
“It’s sad they’ve made this decision. The centre doesn’t promote itself that well – they should be concentrating on that rather than a name change.”
The council began development on the site in the 1980s as it approached the end of its life as a working dock. By 1996, funding for the £106m development was secured and the Lowry Trust was put in charge of the project, which comprised the Lowry Centre, a footbridge and the Digital World Centre.
The mall was opened a year after the theatre and gallery complex, which contains more than 400 of Lowry’s works.
A PR statement from Peel reads: “The philosophy behind Lifestyle Outlets is to create destinations with personality.”
The managing director, Jason Pullen, said: “We want to change the face of outlet shopping and redefine perceptions of what an outlet can be, because we believe it needs to be done.
“Shopping has become a major leisure activity and people expect more from a centre than just background music. They want an experience. That’s why great brands and entertainment are an integral part of our appeal.”
