Eden is name of town’s new shopping paradise (From Bucks Free Press)

Eden is name of town’s new shopping paradise

HIGH Wycombe's most closely guarded secret the name of the town's long-awaited £185million shopping and leisure centre was revealed last week.

Paradise regained: An artist's impression of what the Eden development will look like

The announcement of the name, Eden, took place at the annual meeting of Wycombe District Council,last Monday, to an audience of councillors, their spouses, honorary aldermen and women, the public and the press.

Lesley Clarke, leader of the council, said afterwards she was sure the name would grow on her, as did district councillor Alan Fulford who was one of the originators of the current scheme.

"Some people may be reminded of that horrible nightclub, Eden, which was there," he said. "But for everyone who doesn't like it there will be someone else who does."

It has taken a year to come up with the name for the development, previously known as the Western Sector, Project Phoenix and TCR (town centre redevelopment).

Stannifer, the council's partners in the project, picked marketing and branding consultants DS Emotion to do the job.

The company worked on about 20 or 30 suggestions to reach Eden. They wanted something that was simple, gave an image of quality and which would not date and become an embarrassment. It could not be a name shared by any of the other 650 shopping centres throughout the country.

Alan Peach, development director for Stannifer, said: "This is the first formal unveiling to the public and we hope you will come to know and love it.

"We are very excited about the new brand. What we are trying to do is create something that exudes quality. We feel it does. All retail eyes will be on High Wycombe in the next few years."

Tim Buckley, Stannifer's leasing director, said: "We are working on a high quality environment that everyone can be extremely proud of.

"You want people to come here for a quality experience and to experience quality."

He told the Free Press that there was tremendous interest in Eden from retailers.

"The demand is incredible," he said. At present shoppers had to go to Reading, London and Uxbridge.

Although some work is going on in the area already, the real building will start in September and be completed by February 2008.

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