Echo: Basildon Welcome pic - Feature

A bit about your Basildon…

The town centre has many high street stores. As well as shops and coffee houses in the open air East Walk and Town Square, there is the covered Eastgate Shopping Centre which is also situated in the Town Centre, home to over 100 retailers.

 

When Eastgate opened in 1985, it was the largest covered shopping centre in Europe until the opening of the Metro Centre. According to the District Council, at this time Basildon town centre "had the most advanced indoor shopping centre anywhere". It was a novelty as there were no other malls nearby and as a result it became very busy.

 

Eastgate comprises two giant anchor stores, a Debenham's (formerly Allders) and an Asda Supercentre which had been a Sainsbury's Sava Centre hypermarket until Sainsbury's decided to sell the store to Asda in 2004, as the company was in serious financial trouble, and as such was divesting of some of its assets. Eastgate has undergone a number of facelifts since 1985. Its most recent substantial refurbishment was in 2007, at a cost of more than £10m.

 

Further shopping facilities in the town can be found at Westgate Shopping Park, and there is also a pavement market selling fresh fruit and vegetables, and household goods.

 

Outside of the town centre, there are retail parks at Pipps Hill and Mayflower on the A127, while there is small shopping centres in Laindon and Pitsea, which is home to a famous market.

 

Basildon has a heavily developed industrial base. During the construction of the New Town, government grants were given to companies to set up their businesses in Basildon.

 

Basildon has industrial areas situated in Laindon, Cranes Farm Road and Burnt Mills. Cranes Farm Road is currently home to CNH Tractor Plant, formerly owned by Fords. Argos opened a regional warehouse on Pipps Hill Industrial Estate in the 1990s.

 

A datacentre hosting the European matching engine of the Intercontinental Exchange is located in Gardiners Lane, Basildon on the site of the former York International factory

 

Basildon is an area thriving with business talent! Check out a few of your locals below!

Echo: Regal Kitchens Echo: Par Flooring Echo: David Dean
 
Echo: Jan Shop Echo: Big Q  Echo: Atlas Windows Bas feature
 
 Echo: Mallards  Echo: Manor Kitchens