Following our report earlier this week, it’s now been confirmed that Watford’s shopping centre is officially returning to its original name – The Harlequin.
Previously known as Intu Watford and more recently Atria Watford, the centre will soon drop its current branding in favour of the name it first opened with in 1992. The move comes after consistent public feedback, with many people continuing to refer to it as The Harlequin regardless of the official rebrands over the years.
The Harlequin opened on 16 June 1992 and quickly established itself as one of Hertfordshire’s most visited retail destinations. It featured over 130 shops when it launched, with John Lewis (then trading as Trewins) and BHS among its key tenants. The centre also helped reshape shopping habits in the area, offering a modern, indoor alternative to traditional high street stores.
The name “Harlequin” was chosen via a public competition before the centre opened. It’s thought to have been inspired by the old nickname for a rail service running through nearby Harlesden and Queen’s Park – the “Harlequin line”.
Within a few years, the centre had become central to life in Watford. Footfall was high, and by the mid-1990s, the council had extended residential parking zones to manage increased traffic around the town centre.
In 2013, following a change in ownership, the shopping centre was rebranded Intu Watford. This was part of a wider renaming of properties owned by Capital Shopping Centres, which became Intu Properties. Although the name was changed, many locals continued referring to it as The Harlequin.
Shortly after, in 2014, planning permission was granted for a large extension, replacing the older Charter Place shopping precinct. The £180 million redevelopment added new retail space, restaurants, a cinema, and a large Debenhams department store, which officially opened in September 2018.
The expansion positioned the centre as one of the largest in-town shopping destinations in the country, with over 1.1 million square feet of space.
Despite the success of the redevelopment, the centre faced challenges in the years that followed. BHS had already closed in 2016, and in 2020 both Debenhams and John Lewis shut permanently, part of a wider national trend of large department stores closing due to financial pressure and the impact of COVID-19.
That same year, Intu Properties entered administration. The Watford centre continued operating under new management, but a further rebrand followed.
In 2021, it became Atria Watford, a name chosen to reflect the two large glass atriums that characterise the design of the building. The rebrand was met with mixed response, with a number of residents calling for the Harlequin name to return.
This month, it was officially confirmed that the centre would revert to The Harlequin name once again. Watford’s elected Mayor Peter Taylor welcomed the move, saying:
“The Harlequin name has always been special to many people in Watford and remained how lots of residents and visitors referred to the shopping centre.”
Centre management have said the return to the original name is in direct response to public sentiment and part of a wider effort to reconnect with the local community. New signage and branding will be rolled out over the summer, and a programme of events is planned to mark the change.
The shopping centre has seen footfall return strongly in recent months, with 2024 marking its busiest year to date. New tenants have also arrived, including a large Poundland store in part of the former John Lewis space, and indoor leisure attractions like Puttshack.
Seamus Donaghy is a freelance writer with a strong interest in Harrow’s local history. Originally from Sligo in the Republic of Ireland, Seamus moved to Harrow with his family when he was seven years old and grew up in Wealdstone. He has lived in the borough for more than 30 years and writes about the people, places and stories that have shaped Harrow over the years.
