Joanna Lumley opens Morpeth shopping mall

Nov 13 2009 by Brian Daniel, The Journal

Mark Dransfield, managing director of scheme developer Dransfield Properties and Morpeth II, said: “I think the day has gone unbelievably well.

“I can not believe how many people Joanna has attracted and how well respected she is.

“We are very honoured that she came here to do the opening today.

“We are looking forward to many, many years here in Morpeth.

“I do not think Morpeth needed much regeneration, it just needed some careful architecture to bind everything together.

“I think it will give Morpeth a seven-day economy from what is now a five and a half/six day economy. Morpeth will benefit from what it brings into the centre.” Mayor of Morpeth Ken Brown said: “The development is fantastic, Morpeth has been waiting a long time to have the centre developed. Mark Dransfield has delivered a really high quality scheme here.

“We have got a lovely blend of local and global chains along with high quality independent retailers.

“Joanna Lumley is just fabulous, it has felt bigger than a royal visit.

“Clearly the people of Morpeth are very excited about the development and the visit of Joanna Lumley, with the excellent civil rights work she has done and the work she has done with the Ghurkas. She is an absolutely perfect choice for someone to open it.”

The day was particularly poignant for 91-year-old Jenner Swinney, whose late father William Sanderson planned and built the original Sanderson’s Arcade, which was demolished to make way for the new development.

Jenner, who now lives near Livingston in Scotland, was at the opening of the old site with her dad, who died in 1973 aged 93, by the then Duke of Northumberland on August 18, 1954.

She said: “There were an awful lot of spectators but nothing like today. This is incredible.

“I know he would be delighted to know that Dransfield Properties had invested so much money in this new Sanderson Arcade development.

“He would have been thrilled that they have kept the name. It is a lovely touch that they have kept the name.”