Town centre gets food for thought

An artist's impression of how the new Palms Shopping food court on the shopping centre's second level will look over the Harbour Dve business and shopping precinct.

CONTRIBUTED

A KEY element of Coffs Harbour's city centre is about to undergo a major transformation.

The owner of Palms Shopping yesterday revealed an amended development application for the retail complex which includes a first-floor food court catering for 400 diners.

Gowing Bros Ltd is set to make a multi-million dollar investment in upgrading the shopping centre if the amended application, which is now before the council, is approved.

The new 400-seat food court is to be located upstairs where large sheets of frameless glass will be installed so diners can enjoy views over the Harbour Dr shopping precinct and City Square.

The amendments in design aren't the only changes on the board for the shopping centre.

As the owner of Palms Shopping, Gowings will also be renaming the centre Coffs Central.

"It's a huge investment but we see it as being the right investment for the shopping centre and the CBD in Coffs in general," Palms Shopping retail manager Julie Smith said.

"We see putting the food court upstairs and having a better mix downstairs will give us more specialty retail fashion stores."

Part of the plan for the redesign of the centre is to have more retail outlets where the Coles supermarket used to be.
Access to this area will be via a new entrance being built closer to the Gordon St end of the centre.

The centre is looking for local businesses to become tenants of the refurbished area.

"Specialty stores with a mix of well-known brands and local specialties," Ms Smith said.

"We want to try and get a good mix.

"We don't want the same as the Plaza. We want to be a point of difference and we've got a lot of interest from local retailers."