News that the Eastgate Shopping Centre has lost its food court again has been a major but not entirely unexpected blow for Inverness city centre.
Confirmation that Loch and Larder’s five restaurants were headed for the exit was accompanied with an announcement that a new “exciting” project was already being lined up to take its place.
That tidbit has set tongues wagging about what it could – and should – be.
Here’s a rundown of some of the main runners and riders our readers have been suggesting.
The throwback: KFC and Pizza Hut
It’s widely accepted that the Eastgate’s food court was at its best – and certainly its busiest – when the space was dominated by a pair of fast food giants.
And as a result, plenty of people have been calling for those brands to be reinstated.
Shout-out to Lorimer’s too, which was also a big favourite.
Even if it isn’t necessarily those same restaurants, there’s a familiarity with the large chains that would give it a huge head start on the other options.
On the other hand, you have to accept that things are not exactly the same as they were back in the booming 2000s.
It’s important to remember that in those early days, the Eastgate had the city’s only KFC.
The Millburn Road outlet didn’t open until 2012, giving it a full decade of being the only place to enjoy Colonel Sanders’ secret blend of 11 herbs and spices for miles around.
It also had a full and busy Debenhams right opposite.
Still, the volume of people touting this as the answer means it’s definitely worth exploring.
The copycat: Victorian Market style pop-ups
The huge success of the Victorian Market’s revamped food court has been in stark contrast to the Eastgate’s £2m overhaul.
Many have been quick to point that out and suggest that the shopping centre needs to recreate its own version to succeed.
There is a waiting list of vendors trying to get their own spot in the Victorian Market, so perhaps there’s a conversation to be had.
However, the market’s cosy atmosphere isn’t going to be replicated in the Eastgate food court without some serious changes.
And a vendor wanting to get a spot in the bustling market is by no means guaranteed to want to take a punt on the Eastgate’s new venture either.
The breakout: A big brand looking to dip its toes into the Inverness market
Perhaps we ought to dream bigger.
Big name brands always seem to cause a stir on Inverness social media (see the decade-long pursuit of Nando’s for proof).
So why not use this as an opportunity to reel in a big fish or two?
Greggs has dipped its toes into the Highland capital with a low-key petrol station offering on Longman Road.
Would the UK’s best-known bakery chain fancy its chances going properly head-to-head with Harry Gow and Asher’s in the city centre?
Or what about Tim Horton’s? The Canadian coffee shop has been springing up all over the UK.
And it did announce its intention to open to an outlet in the Telford Retail Park before quietly shelving the idea.
We’re often complaining that we don’t get the same choice as you find in Aberdeen, Dundee or Glasgow. Could this be an opportunity to knock a big hitter off the list?
Maybe you could even close it all off and re-jig the space to create one individual restaurant?
As for my own big fish option to target: Five Guys.
Why not swing for the fences?
The 360: Moving away from food altogether
Maybe a food court just doesn’t work in that space anymore.
The Victorian Market has stolen its lunch. Debenhams is long gone. And people regularly complained about the quiet, sterile atmosphere you’d find at Loch and Larder.
Physically and economically, it’s a difficult place to operate in.
But to give the Eastgate its due, the recent child-friendly spaces have been a hit.
Kids have enjoyed the sandpit and on plenty of occasions, I’ve looked across from the packed (and free) soft play to see the food court with hardly a soul in it.
Perhaps a bigger, child-friendly space could work? Or maybe even something devoted to the music scene?
What do you think should replace Loch and Larder in the Eastgate? Email stuart.findlay@pressandjournal.co.uk with your views.
You might also be interested in:
- Loch & Larder pulls out of Eastgate Shopping Centre less than two years after £2m revamp
- Analysis: The loss of the Eastgate’s food court doesn’t mean we need to write off the whole shopping centre
- Eastgate manager on new shops, refurbs and filling 12 empty units
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