The final shoppers that filed through the automatic doors at the St Giles Centre came for the coffee, the buses, the sandwiches – and the memories.
Today was the last day of trading for the Elgin shopping centre that opened its doors to the public in 1991.
After 34 years of business, tenants were given less than two weeks to move out after owner ran out of cash while facing a huge unpaid business rates bill.
Today the Press and Journal spent the last day of the St Giles Centre talking to shoppers about what brought them to the mall one final time.
Working on first day of St Giles Centre, visiting on the last
Michael Christie was part of the initial St Giles Centre team that launched the shopping centre in 1991.
Back then he was working as a janitor on the morning shifts, while his wife Mary worked the afternoon shifts. They came together on Saturdays to work as a team.
Michael was accompanied by daughter Julie on his last visit to the St Giles Centre, who says she “grew up” inside building watching her parents at work.
Michael shared his memories of the early days of the shopping centre when there weren’t actually any shops for customers to buy from.
He said: “It was a slow start. We spent most of the time bored. We just had to keep cleaning and emptying the bins though, even though it was just people going to the bus station.
“Once the shops came it was a lot better. At Christmas time you couldn’t empty the bins, there were hundreds of people, you couldn’t move it was so busy.
“I was surprised when I heard it was closing. Well, surprised and not surprised.
“The units have been getting emptier. The rents have tripled in price, and then they blame the shops for going to the retail parks.
“There needed to be some incentives to keep the shops here.”
Childhood memories of St Giles Centre
Julie explained she had grown up watching her mother and father work together in the St Giles Centre and was eager to visit one last time.
She said: “I grew up in here. I can still see mum standing over there leaning on the railing looking down on the people below. It’s a great spot for people watching.
“I was in here from when I was little, but then I got a job working in the fish shop, Fran’s Plaice, which was downstairs where Ashers is now.
“It’s so sad it’s closing. They could have done so much more with it, but they just didn’t put the money back into it.
“When the shops started pulling out they had to think ‘Something’s going on here, let’s do something about it,’ but they didn’t.”
Worked in St Giles Centre for 20 years
Michael and Julie were joined on their St Giles Centre visit by Joe Brennan. Joe worked in the St Giles Centre as a janitor himself for 20 years from the late 1990s.
On his last time inside the shopping centre he shared memories of helping to carry the bench outside Argos up the escalator, and of cleaning pigeon droppings off the glass roof.
He added: “It was busy in here when I first started, but it wasn’t really the same by the time I finished.
“Somebody told me they were charging the same rates here as they do in Edinburgh, they just priced themselves out of the market here if that’s the case.
“It’s sad, isn’t it? It’s bad for Elgin, this is the last thing the town needs.
“Hopefully someone comes forward with a plan for it. It’s still a good building. Time will tell.”
‘Shopping centre was place for Elgin to gather’
Photographer Gavin Bell, from Forres, was a regular visitor to the St Giles Centre while travelling to jobs across the region.
He would regularly stop past the cafes for a coffee while waiting for a connection and shopped in Waterstones and WH Smith.
He said: “It’s an absolute disgrace it’s shutting. I was really upset when I heard.
“I think this place is more than just a shopping centre. It’s a place for Elgin to gather, especially at weekends.
“Places like this are extremely important, especially for senior citizens. They’re focal points for people to get together, have a coffee and so much more. All that’s gone now.
“You just need to look at how busy it was at Christmas time to see how valued it was.”
Chance to say one final goodbye
Aidan Henderson wanted to stop by the St Giles Centre to say goodbye one last time, but after learning everything at Subway was 50% off also stayed for a sandwich.
The 21-year-old took part in theatrical performances in in the shopping centre and is sad others won’t get the same chance.
He said: “We did a flashmob here for The Addams Family musical, I think it would have been in 2018 or 2019. I’ve got friends who performed on the stage here too.
“It’s so sad because it has been at the heart of the community for so many years. I wanted to come and say goodbye almost, because of what it has meant for the community.
“I thought it was terrible the staff only got two weeks notice, it’s absolutely atrocious.
“I’ve been into The Works a few times since the closure was announced and they told me they had been working almost constantly since they heard the news.
“To do that while knowing you don’t have a job after the shop closes, I just felt so bad for them.”
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