// The Mall Walthamstow reopens for business after it endured fire damage in July
// There will be a community event on Saturday to mark the grand reopening
// A small number of retailers most affected by the fire will remain closed as the rebuild of that part of the damaged centre continues
The majority of The Mall Walthamstow has reopened for business this week after weeks of being closed due to damage from a fire in July.
To celebrate the re-opening, the shopping centre’s owner Capital & Regional said there would be a community event held on Saturday starting at 10am, with the official grand opening scheduled for 11am.
Capital & Regional added that the reopening marks “a welcome return” of the community shopping centre for the local area and will mean, “as far as possible”, business as usual for centre’s retailers.
The Mall Walthamstow’s management team worked closely with retailers onsite to ensure all safety and security checks were completed prior to the reopening.
Those small number of retailers most affected by the fire will remain closed and are being kept informed of progress as we rebuild this area of the centre.
“We continue to be appreciative of the cooperation and understanding shown by our retail occupiers and the wider Waltham Forest community throughout what has been a difficult time,” chief executive Lawrence Hutchings said.
Last month, an online fundraising appeal was launched for The Mall Walthamstow business owners and staff who had been adversely affected the shopping centre’s fire.
The Walthamstow Appeal is being led by Capital & Regional in partnership with industry charity RetailTrust and the Fashion & Textile Children’s Trust.
The appeal aims to support those employed at The Mall Walthamstow and who have been negatively affected by the serious fire which took place.
At the time of print, almost £62,000 had been raised.
The shopping centre fire came almost a year after The Mall Walthamstow secured planning permission for an 86,000sq ft expansion.
Work was set to commence in 2020, five years after Capital & Regional undertook a full refurbishment of the centre.
The plans included space for 12 new retailers and 460 new homes situated above it.
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette’s free daily email newsletter
