Lakeside Shopping Centre
Shopping Center | Grays | England | United Kingdom
Largest shopping center in Essex
The Lakeside Shopping Centre in Grays, England, is one of the largest and most well-known shopping centers in the UK, located in West Thurrock, a town in Essex County, just east of the Greater London border. It was opened on October 25, 1990, by Princess Alexandra of Kent, Marcus Bradford, and Angus Ogilvy, and was built on the site of a former chalk quarry. The first tenants moved in as early as 1988, and with its completion in 1990, Lakeside quickly became one of the most significant shopping and leisure destinations in the region. With a retail space of approximately 133,200 square meters, it is the eleventh-largest shopping center in the country and, together with adjacent retail parks, forms one of the largest contiguous shopping areas in Europe, with a total of around 240,000 square meters of retail space on an 80-hectare site. Approximately 20 million people visit the center each year, highlighting its immense popularity.
Shopping and leisure options in Grays
Lakeside offers over 250 stores that cover a wide range of retail offerings. Major retailers include large department stores like Marks & Spencer, House of Fraser, and Primark, as well as well-known high street brands like Next, H&M, Zara, and Superdry. The selection is complemented by international chains such as Apple, which opened its tenth UK store there in 2008, and Forever 21, which moved into a three-story flagship store in 2012. Specialized shops like Crep Collection Club for sneakers and Brick Lane Bagel Co. are also part of the mix, making the center attractive to diverse target groups. In recent years, Lakeside has enhanced its modern character through renovations and new tenants like Taco Bell, which re-entered the UK market there in 2010.
Visit Lakeside shopping center
In addition to its shopping offerings, Lakeside is also known for its extensive leisure and dining options. The area known as "The Quay" features a mix of restaurants, bars, and entertainment, including a cinema and a bowling alley. "The Boardwalk," an area opened in 2007 after a renovation, adds eleven restaurants with outdoor seating and views of the Alexandra Lake that surrounds the center. Dining highlights include chains like Pizza Express, Nando’s, and Five Guys, as well as the unique "Old Orleans," a converted riverboat restaurant with a rooftop bar. This variety makes Lakeside a place that goes beyond pure shopping, attracting visitors for longer stays.
Renovations at Lakeside shopping center
The shopping center is excellently connected to the transportation network. A direct pedestrian bridge links it to the Chafford Hundred railway station, from where c2c line trains run to London Fenchurch Street and towards Southend. Its proximity to the M25 motorway, which circles London, and the A13, which connects Central London to East England, makes access by car easy. Lakeside has 12 car parks with a total of 11,857 spaces, including special areas for people with disabilities, parents with children, and electric vehicles, as well as Tesla charging stations. Public buses, including routes to Romford, Hornchurch, and Basildon, as well as a connection to the competing Bluewater Shopping Centre via the Dartford Crossing, supplement the travel options.
Transport connections to Lakeside Centre
Over the years, Lakeside has undergone several modernizations to keep up with competition, particularly from the nearby Bluewater. A comprehensive renovation in 2004 cost £30 million and brought Italian porcelain floors, new lighting, faster elevators, and automatic doors. Between 2017 and 2019, the center was overhauled again, focusing on an immersive sound experience implemented through a Meyer Sound audio system and custom music designs. These measures have transformed Lakeside into a modern shopping and leisure destination that remains contemporary despite its age. In 2013, it was renamed "Intu Lakeside" under the management of Intu Properties, but after Intu's bankruptcy in 2020, Savills took over management, and it reverted to the name Lakeside Shopping Centre.
The importance of Lakeside for the Thurrock region is enormous. It is often referred to as the "de facto town center," and the local government plans to develop it into a "regional town center," including new shops, facilities, and up to 3,000 residential homes. The growing community of Chafford Hundred to the east of the center illustrates how Lakeside shapes the development of the surrounding area. Nevertheless, some criticize the center as a reason for the decline of smaller local shops in Grays and other nearby towns.
