The world of retail has been turned upside down and given a good makeover across the last few decades.
Buying online and the cost of living crisis have all invariably changed the way we shop and contributed to the demise of the high street and many shopping centres.
But Chatham’s Pentagon, housed in a 1970s-built 12-storey concrete office block, could be about to buck the trend and reverse that decline.
As it marks its 50th anniversary, the shopping centre is soon to be revitalised with its top floor being transformed into a multi-million pound state-of-the-art healthy living centre – expected to open later this year.
It comes fresh off the back of a new mixed co-working and private office space carved out of part of the mall that hopes to become an “invaluable springboard” for new business opportunities in the Towns.
And on Saturday, the Pentagon celebrates its milestone birthday with traders and residents at Chatham Carnival, which has been revived after disappearing from the calendar for the last 20 years.
Developers believe the NHS medical hub will entice customers back into the town, which has seen countless shops fall vacant and big chains moving out.
The thinking is that when people come in for a check-up, they will check out the shops – and spend some money at the same time.
Indeed, senior Pentagon managers are already budgeting on an increased footfall, which will see the number of customers rise to pre-pandemic levels.
Business will also inevitably be boosted by the influx of housing being built in the town, with new residents having the convenience of shopping on their doorstep.
Charlene Malone, who is the manager of the Pentagon and chairman of Chatham Town Centre Forum, says she has every reason to be optimistic.
She told KentOnline: “The best thing to happen is the council buying the Pentagon and Mountbatten House (the office block which has been empty for the majority of its existence).
“Medway has invested a lot of money in this place, and there have been some radical changes.
“The Pentagon is never going to be a Bluewater, Bluewater is a destination and an entire experience.
“Zara wouldn’t work here, while Primark is a big pull for Chatham.
“The Pentagon is a community hub for the local community.”
Ms Malone said they have had to redress the balance to diversify their offer to include food, drink and leisure.
Work on the Pentagon started in the 1970s as part of a major redevelopment of the town centre, and the national boom towards American-style malls where customers can shop under one roof and avoid inclement British weather.
It was constructed on the site of several demolished streets and properties, including George Street, Nelson Road, Fair Row, and parts of Solomons Road and Avondale Terrace.
Mackays, the book printers, relocated to Lordswood Industrial Estate where it still operates today.
The name “Pentagon” is derived from the five-sided shape of its main courtyard, known as Pentagon Court.
After it finally opened in June 1975, visitors got more than they bargained for.
The old staples, Sainsbury’s, C & A, the Co-op, Wimpy, Boots and WH Smiths took up units along with the smaller independent names, like Snobs boutique, Jones the Newsagents, John Menzies and Slinders flower shop.
One of the first to move in was D & A Toys, which took up a prime position on the top floor for many years before moving to a smaller unit downstairs, the old Carphone Warehouse, in 2022.
And then thrown into the mix was Scamps night club, later the Van Damme bar, now a bowling alley, which offered lunchtime strippers as entertainment.
The Blue Grotto Wine Bar, near the taxi rank, featured a giant aquarium, and then there was a fountain with seating, a children’s play area with a wooden snake climbing frame and a creche.
The bus station on the top floor provided a distinctly dark and murky welcome to Chatham before being demolished to make way for the outdoor Waterfront depot, which opened in 2011.
In the mid-1990s, the centre was given a much-needed facelift.
The water feature disappeared for what was believed to be health and safety reasons. The old-style escalator was replaced by a modern glass elevator, and the ceiling lights were removed to create a brighter environment.
Currently, the entire top floor is being repurposed into a £15million medical suite to help residents access a greater range of services and clinics than a typical GP surgery.
The James Williams Health Centre, named after the authority’s director of health, who passed away after a short illness in May last year, is expected to open at the end of the year.
The council’s co-working space called Ascend will still operate from the area, which was used as a large vaccination hub during the pandemic.
The old toilets, which used to be next to Sainsbury’s, have also been expanded and relocated upstairs
When it opened, there were nearly 80 shops compared to 60 today, four of which are unoccupied, including Wilko which has been empty since October 2023.
Ms Malone confirmed they were in negotiation with several “household names” and hoped to have a new tenant in by Christmas.
Neither the Pentagon nor Mountbatten House have always enjoyed a good press over the years.
The towering office block, which has been empty since Scottish Widows building society left in 2006, has been frequently dubbed the town’s “white elephant”.
On numerous occasions, the shopping centre, built on top of The Brook, has been forced to close because of flooding.
And buckets catching water from leaking roofs have been spotted in some stores.
Indeed, former Tory MP Kelly Tolhurst, who represented Rochester and Strood from 2015 to 2024, called for the block, described as of “brutalist architecture”, to be knocked down.
But marketing manager Jack Brackstone-Brown hits back at those who claim it is dated.
Mr Brackstone-Brown said: “I like to think of it as more retro.
“We have had to react to the market, which is difficult because it’s changing all the time.
“The food balance is very important for us.
“It’s tricky, but I think the health centre is spot on for supporting and understanding the community.
“It’s difficult to predict the world of retail, but I think we’re on the right track.”
Mountbatten House was bought by the council in 2021 and is earmarked to be turned into 164 flats along with shops and restaurants on the ground floor.
The Medway Development Company (MDC) is now inviting construction companies to bid for the job of redeveloping the buildings to rejuvenate the surrounding area, including The Paddock – a rejuvenated green space between Chatham Waterfront bus station and the shopping complex.
The Pentagon has always prided itself in hosting free events aimed at all the family.
This weekend is no exception with a fun-packed programme including party hat making with a nod to Chatham’s famous cone-wearing icon, Thomas Waghorn.
There will also be a photo booth for novelty shots, and the centre’s mascot, Penny the Dragon, will be welcoming the crowds.
The carnival itself proceeds from Church Street at 12 noon and winds through the High Street to The Paddock, where there will be live entertainment and towering puppets.
The Pentagon also plays a key part in the annual Chinese New Year celebrations, which attract people from all over the country.
Final word goes to shop manager Lee Richman, who, with his mum Alison, has served many generations of the same families at D & A Toys over nearly half a century.
Lee, 47, has worked at the family business for 23 years and has witnessed first-hand some of the many changes at the Pentagon.
He said: “The health centre has got to be a good thing.
“People have got lazy and are shopping online. So anything that brings people in looking at shop windows again is good.”
Lee has seen businesses come and go but believes they have benefited from being independent.
“We don’t have to conform. We need to keep on top of the trends and jump on them.
“At the end of the day, you can buy online and look at an Argos catalogue, but people still love a toy shop.
“There’s nothing better than seeing children excited to come in and hear them say ‘Wow’.
“And hopefully we will be here for many years to come.”
