50 YEARS OF SWAN WALK, HORSHAM (2025)

Swan Walk has had its ups and downs over the years. Brands that were once commonplace on High Streets across the country have gone, with the loss of Topshop and BHS keenly felt in Horsham. The town’s Wilko store was among the last in the UK to close in 2023 and its loss has had an impact too.

Managing the arrival and departure of retailers is an exciting challenge, as well as a constant balancing act. While some plans are developed over several years, the shifting sands of the retail industry means that running a shopping centre always brings unexpected challenges, says Gill Buchanan…

‘Sometimes, you plan changes a long time in advance, while other developments are more of a surprise opportunity. Just this summer, Poundland was sold for a pound and who would’ve thought that a few years ago? Next previously operated in West Street and held discussions about a move to Swan Walk for several years before the opportunity arose in the old BHS unit. It was a similar story when it came to accommodating Superdrug, as when you’re planning to amalgamate several small units into one big shop, it involves managing leases and securing vacant possessions in order to develop.’

‘We have needed to reconfigure the layout of Swan Walk many times over the years to react to market trends and accommodate new retailers, such as Sports Direct – which involved transforming three units into one – and H&M, where we created a large store in units previously occupied by outlets such as Principles and Dorothy Perkins. We also made structural changes to accommodate Crew Clothing and Fat Face, utilising not only the former site of Sussex Stationers, but first floor offices too, which are used as stock rooms.’

‘I previously managed department stores and see a shopping centre as much the same thing, albeit with shops spread out over a larger area. It’s still all about the customer experience and key to circulating footfall is creating anchor points with key retailers and destinations. In times of high demand, it’s easier to make decisions about what you want in the shopping centre, as you have more options on the table and can be more selective. In times when the climate is more challenging, you might have fewer options available.

‘One of the current challenges we face comes after the closure of Wilko. Specsavers and Søstrene Grene are destination stores that have opened up at the bottom of West Street and of course many people continue on to John Lewis and Waitrose. There are plans to improve the pedestrianised area in the Bishopric too, so whatever happens to that part of Swan Walk, maintaining a healthy circulation will be key to retailers both inside and outside the shopping centre.’

SAVE OUR SWANS!

Aside from its shops, Swan Walk has two features that have become increasingly important to the community. One is the mosaic outside Superdrug, first installed in 1989. The original circular mosaic was made in Italy and has always been popular with children, who enjoy running around it, while also providing an ideal spot for special events and promotions. Only nine years after it was installed, a large section of the mall had to be re-tiled, so the 32 square metre mosaic was meticulously recreated by London-based designer Paul Siggins.

The second feature is a sculpture of three swans landing in water, which is located between Muffin Break and Next. It was designed by Lorne McKean, who also created the Horsham Heritage Sundial in The Forum and Mr Pirie Sitting in His Donkey Cart in Piries Place. When the swans were removed in 2007, there was a public backlash and a campaign to have them reinstalled.

Gill Buchanan said: ‘It’s a beautiful sculpture, with the artist managing to capture the movement of swans landing in water. Unfortunately, the water element caused persistent problems. Every day, children would dip their fingers in it, so we had to treat it to avoid diseases such as legionella. Using chemical disinfectants creates new problems when you have millions of visitors. So, while some scoffed when we cited health and safety concerns, public safety has to be our priority.’

‘We were working with Horsham District Council to move the swans elsewhere and one idea was for them to be relocated in Horsham Park. However, West Sussex County Times started a ‘Save Our Swans’ campaign and the public’s reaction made us rethink our plan. So, the swans returned and we liaised with an architect who created a glass surface, lit from underneath to mimic the appearance of water.

‘We also built a new base to provide people with more seating in the shopping centre. The swan sculpture continues to be popular and we recently decorated the swans with Horsham Football Club scarves to celebrate the Hornets’ league and cup success!’

INDEPENDENT SPIRIT

Today, Swan Walk hosts many leading brands including Boots, TG Jones (formerly WH Smith), M&S, Sports Direct and Superdrug. It also boasts fashion outlets Crew Clothing Company, Fat Face, Classic Suits, Hobbs London, H&M and Roman.

One of the latest introductions is Hotter, a shoe company that originally established a high street presence before switching its focus online. Now, it’s re-opening stores once more and has returned to Horsham, the location of one of its most successful branches. One of the centre’s longest-serving shops is Jones the Bootmakers, managed by Pam Broadbent. Pam has spent 29 years at the shop and more than 40 in town, having previously worked for Adams and Saxon Shoes. While some brands are household names, Swan Walk supports independents too, including Gobsmack, Major Mind Games, Divine Brow Bar and The Natural Body Company.

Swan Walk hosts pop-ups at certain times, including the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal shop, which is now open. It also offers short-term leases for seasonal ventures such as Calendar Club. It has also welcomed exhibitions by local organisations such as Horsham Model Railway Club and supports good causes, notably through its annual Donation Station, which has raised about £220,000 for charities including Cancer Research UK, while there’s a donation point near the toilets for the Horsham District Foodbank.’

‘Independents help separate us from towns which mostly support national brands,’ says Gill. ‘We are proud to have welcomed businesses that began outside of Swan Walk, such as Gobsmack, while others such as La Vida and Hugo & Green have opened in the shopping centre and now continue elsewhere. It’s never nice when a shop closes and people tend to have a gloomy outlook whenever it happens. However, there’s also excitement when a new retailer comes in and only recently, after the closure of Sienna Rocks, we welcomed Peony, a Sussex-based women’s fashion outlet.

‘While the internet is often cited as a major contributor for closures, Horsham has embraced change. The way people shop has evolved and the town has adapted by opening more restaurants and cafés, while hosting thriving markets too. As a result, people enjoy coming into town for reasons other than to shop. They meet friends for lunch, grab a coffee before work, pop to the Post Office at TG Jones, pick up a nice meal at M&S, or chat to other parents while their kids play at Happyscamps. They might come into town less frequently than they used to, but they’re staying longer and spending more. Lots of people come to combat social isolation too, soaking up the atmosphere in a friendly place.

‘The internet has changed shopping habits, but Horsham is well placed to benefit. Click and Collect is driving footfall, so attractive market towns like ours are doing well. Friday Lates brought people into town on summer evenings too, which was fantastic for pubs, bars and restaurants in East Street and Carfax. However, I think Covid made us reflect on life and many decided that spending time with family and friends was more important than working tirelessly. Therefore, there isn’t the demand from retailers for more late openings. However, we will host late night shopping on 21 November in support of the Christmas Launch Party.’

SAFETY FIRST

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Swan Walk collaborated with St Mary’s CofE Primary School on an art project, challenging pupils to draw pictures of what they think they will look like when they’re 50, with artwork displayed in the centre. Muffin Break donated 50 muffins for a free giveaway, while a Robot Making workshop was held in July, with youngsters working at interactive stations.

Swan Walk also hosted a Toy Time Machine Summer Trail, with participants able to enter a competition to win Toy Barnhaus vouchers. The popular toy shop is another success story. Having started out as a pop-up, it now occupies a prime location and records impressive sales figures. Store Manager Lianna Bassett joined as an assistant 11 years ago, working her way up to become Manager four years ago.

Despite the milestone anniversary and a recent change in Swan Walk’s ownership – with CUBE RE having acquired the centre in December 2024 – it’s very much business as usual. Gill said: ‘The change of ownership has had little impact on the customer experience and new investment with a fresh viewpoint has been good for everyone.

‘Day-to-day operations have continued much as before, and we’ve been quietly making small improvements. We have a wonderful team that regularly reviews public safety and operations, to ensure we deliver a great environment all-year-round. We installed a water harvesting system in the public toilets in 2022 and that has already saved half a million litres. Only in April, we introduced a food waste collection service, working with 60 operators to recycle waste into new energy. Customers often don’t know about these things. It’s enough to know that we’re working hard to ensure that Swan Walk is clean and safe, and a good place to visit all year round.’

Further information: For the latest on openings, promotions and events, visit www.swanwalkshopping.co.uk

Originally published in AAH (All About Horsham) Magazine on 1st November 2025. Words by Ben Morris. Photography by Alan Wright.