A landmark building in Exeter that was once hailed as the future of city shopping has almost disappeared.
Demolition of the Harlequins Shopping Centre has been going on through the summer, marking the final chapter for the derelict 1980s American-style indoor mall.
When it opened in 1987 on the site of the old Paul Street bus station it was described as ‘ground-breaking’, and boasted 32 individual shop units.
Rather than housing massive high-street corporate chains, which went to the neighbouring Guildhall or later Princesshay, Harlequins was marketed as a ‘continental-style’ marketplace aimed at independent, specialty, and niche boutique traders.
The lower retail tier was designed as an open-fronted, bustling market space and hosted custom art galleries, craft supplies, fashion boutiques and antique stalls. It became well-known for housing unique home decor, ethnic interior designs, and independent furniture showrooms, most notably long-term fixtures like Chandni Chowk, which sold ethically-sourced home furnishings.
Fast-food outlets and small, independent cafes occupied units near the main walkways, but the lower retail tier struggled with low footfall, and the centre went into a steady decline until its closure in September 2019.
Its pay-and-display car park permanently closed in June this year to allow heavy machinery to secure the site. The distinctive 1980s stained-glass footbridge spanning Paul Street, once dismantled, will not be replaced.
The site is being redeveloped by Guernsey-based developer Curlew Alternatives Property into a massive co-living housing complex featuring 383 studio apartments and flats across six and seven-storey blocks.
The aim is to provide a mixture of student accommodation and co-living for local people.
The initial 2022 planning approval required 20 per cent of the units to be designated as ‘affordable housing’ for key workers, but Curlew said soaring construction costs and interest rates meant that would not be possible on site, and they will pay the city council £2million towards affordable housing elsewhere in the city instead.
At the same time the developer confirmed that while early designs promised to replace the iconic footbridge with a modern version, the current proposal is not to replace it at all.

TV Licence Savings Stamps refund ends on 31 December 2026
Exe ferryman injured by ‘intoxicated’ e-biker
Devon MPs blast government tourist tax proposals
Action pledged as campaigners raise fears at MP’s meeting
Operation Seabird targets marine crime and protects wildlife
Public warned over scammers posing as police officers
Annual housing report shows tenant feedback continues to drive service improvement in East Devon
Exeter primary school wins innovation competition for fifth consecutive year with “outstanding” Mars habitat project
World-first study into rare lung disease launched in Exeter
Devon confirms locations of ambitious SEND Experts at Hand pilot
Community groups invited to free advice on City Grants applications
Water park progresses as nearby facility stays open for late summer sun
Devon communities offered winter support
New campaign asks people who smoke in Devon: “What Will You Miss?”
Celebrating our sea “more important than ever” after sewage closes Exmouth beach for 111 days last year
Cranbrook Celebrates Official Opening of Ingrams Sports Pitches and Pavilion
