Salford Quays is often viewed through two very different lenses: a striking waterfront of modern architecture and TV studios, and, for some visitors, a shopping mall that can feel unusually empty. That perception may be set to change after confirmation of a £16 million overhaul for the Quayside shopping centre which will bring new leisure attractions to the area.
New leisure offer for the Quayside
The planned redevelopment includes a Hollywood Bowl bowling alley and a “cutting-edge” electric go-karting track from international firm Hyperdrive Karting. The bowling alley has been given the green light and is currently estimated to open in 2028.
While several national names such as the M&S Outlet remain at the centre, and food outlets and family attractions like the Oxygen play centre and Kargo MKT continue to draw visitors — particularly those attending gigs at nearby Victoria Warehouse — parts of the mall still give an impression of vacancy that some describe as ‘ghostly’.
From industrial hub to cultural waterfront
Strolling the Quays today, visitors will pass the Lowry theatre and gallery — a steel-clad building designed to echo a ship and to remind people that this was once Britain’s third busiest port. The Manchester Ship Canal historically linked the area with Liverpool and underpinned the docks’ former industrial importance; today the canalside is home to flats, promenades and leisure uses.
- Existing anchors: M&S Outlet, Oxygen play centre, Kargo MKT
- Planned additions: Hollywood Bowl (opening estimated 2028), Hyperdrive Karting track
- Ongoing appeal: watersports, TV studios and cultural venues
What this means for visitors and the local economy
The redevelopment will aim to diversify the offer for families and younger visitors, complementing the Quays’ cultural and media attractions. For residents and tourists it could reduce the sense of retail underuse while increasing footfall into the wider Quays district. Any uplift in visitors also has potential knock-on benefits for hospitality and event businesses that already operate in the area.
| Feature | Status |
|---|---|
| Quayside rebrand (formerly The Lowry Outlet Mall) | Rebranded 2020 |
| Planned Hollywood Bowl | Approved; opening estimated 2028 |
| Hyperdrive Karting electric track | Planned |
Visitors to the Quays can already enjoy a range of experiences from watersports to studio tours, and the area even boasts idiosyncratic features — an island reportedly home to garden gnomes has become one of the Quays’ quirky talking points. For those arriving by foot, the plaza around the Lowry provides a direct route between cultural venues and the waterfront promenades.
As plans move forward, residents and regular visitors will be watching to see whether the investment succeeds in shifting the balance away from empty retail units towards a busier leisure and entertainment quarter — an evolution that would align the Quays’ built environment and cultural assets with a more resilient visitor economy.
