News that Peel are due to rename Salford’s Lowry Outlet Mall to ‘Lifestyle Outlet Manchester’ has enraged locals sick of seeing Salford subsumed with its sister city.
Salford councillor John Warmisham said: “It’s disgraceful to lose the name of the painter LS Lowry.
“The City of Salford put lot money into the Lowry Outlet Mall, we built it, and for Peel to remove the name of one of Salford’s favourite sons is shameful.”
Peel bought the 80-store Lowry Outlet Mall from developer Emerson Group in 2012 for around £70m.
Since then it has brought in a number of high-profile retailers, including clothing sellers Bench and Next.
Read: End of free parking at Lowry Outlet Mall to cut ‘park and ride’
It follows a long list of businesses branding themselves incorrectly, including the University of Salford (Manchester), Salford Quays chain Holiday Inn Manchester, and the Lowry Hotel on Chapel Street in Salford, which calls itself ‘Manchester’s only 5* hotel’.
Read: Ordsall chosen as huge new home for ‘unique’ microbrewery and brewery building firm
More: Salford’s MediaCityUK given go ahead to double in size
Councillor Warmisham added: “I’m proud of my city, to have been born here, educated here and work here.
“I find it disgusting and upsetting that businesses will try to jump on the success of Salford Quays and name their brands ‘Manchester’ instead of Salford.
“We will always fight for Salford’s good name.”
On SalfordOnline.com’s 18,000-member Facebook group readers are calling for a boycott of the Lowry Outlet Mall.
Peel also own the Manchester Ship Canal, MediaCityUK, the upcoming Port Salford, Scout Moor Wind Farm, Pinewood Studios and 33,000 acres of land in the UK.
The Lowry Outlet Mall has 300,000 sq ft of retail space with 80 stores, cafes and restaurants and a seven-screen Vue cinema.
Salford and Eccles MP Rebecca Long-Bailey has also weighed in on the debate.
She told SalfordOnline.com: “It’s not acceptable to hear of plans to rename the Lowry Outlet Mall, and seemingly airbrush Salford out of any involvement in the success that is Salford Quays.
After writing an angry letter some time ago to the Outlet about the last name change their response was that the name was changed to the ‘Lowry MediaCityUK Manchester’ to “attract anchor tenants”.
“Bosses need to look at a proper retail strategy that will attract retailers and shoppers, rather than an offensive name change that upsets the whole city and the Outlet’s potential customers.”
