Castle Quarter, Norwich

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Castle Quarter, Norwich is a shopping centre in the city centre of Norwich, Norfolk, England. It was formerly known as Castle Mall and The Mall Norwich and opened on 23 September 1993. The centre sits close to Norwich Castle.

History and site
Plans for the centre began in 1977 when architect Michael Inns proposed an underground shopping complex by the old cattle market near Norwich Castle, connected to Norwich Market and Castle Meadow. Archaeological excavations carried out between 1989 and 1991 covered a large part of the site and uncovered a medieval churchyard used around AD 980–1050, including burials showing leprosy. Parrot bones were also found in a 17th‑century garbage dump. Construction started in March 1990 and finished in 1993. A four‑acre city park was created on the former surface car park.

Opening and evolution
Castle Mall opened in 1993 with shops such as Argos, the Disney Store, Virgin Megastore and Boots, along with a food court. In 1994 it won the Royal Town Planning Institute Silver Jubilee Cup for planning achievement. In 1999, part of the centre was redeveloped as a cinema (now Vue). The centre was later sold to The Mall Fund in the 2000s and renamed The Mall Norwich.

Refurbishments and changes
A major refurbishment was planned in 2005 ahead of the opening of Chapelfield shopping centre, upgrading key stores including Argos, Boots and Virgin Records, with George also opening. By 2010 the centre housed about 58 stores, four restaurants and a multi‑screen cinema. In 2012 InfraRed bought the centre and it was renamed back to Castle Mall, with the Timberhill Terrace dining quarter opening in 2015.

Renaming to Castle Quarter
In mid‑2019 the centre was renamed Castle Quarter. During the COVID‑19 pandemic in 2021, its food court was temporarily used as a vaccination centre to help with mass vaccination efforts in the region.

Architecture and location
Castle Quarter has four floors, covering around 1,000,000 square feet (about 93,000 square metres). Much of the centre is underground, with each floor connected to street level because of the surrounding slope.

Location and accessibility
The centre is in Norwich city centre, near Norwich Castle and a short walk from Chantry Place. Its address and details can be found on its official site, castlequarternorwich.co.uk.

Summary
Castle Quarter is a major, multi‑storey shopping centre with a long history of development and change. It started as Castle Mall in 1993, featured major retailers and a cinema, underwent several ownership and name changes, and was renamed Castle Quarter in 2019. It remains a key shopping destination in the heart of Norwich.