History
Livingston offers a unique shopping experience, with 3 major shopping centres and another three medium large retail parks and a cluster of small local stores located throughout the different areas.
Livingston is the fourth of Scotlandâs five "new towns", and started construction in 1963. By 1970 most of the towns residential zones had been constructed. The first phase of Almondvale Shopping Centre was completed in 1976 to facilitate the needs of the local residents and workers. The first major refurbishment was completed in 1988 by Land Securities. During the refurbishment, the centre was extended by 230,000 sq. ft in 1996, creating phase 2 of the already very successful development, bringing the size of the centre to over 550,000 sq. ft.
In early 1999, construction started on phase 3 of the development with the construction of McArther Glen Designer Outlet Centre, now renamed to Livingston Designer Outlet in 2007 and was opened three months behind schedule in October 2000, with other work continuing into 2001. During this time, ASDA Wal Mart constructed a new supercenter behind Almondvale Shopping Center. This supercenter is the largest of its kind in Europe. This brand new development opened up over 80 new shops, 20 bars and restaurants, a fitness Suite, 4000 new car parking spaces and an 8 screen 'Circuit Cinema' cinema complex.Re-named in 2005 to VUE In early 2007, another 15 shops were constructed within the centre replacing the "At home" area. Many businesses within this unit never re-opened in a new single unit.
Phase 4 of the Almondvale development started in March 2007, which removed the Safeway supermarket and its car park. Also, between the Livingston Designer Outlet and Almondvale Centre, the car park was removed to make way for The Elements, a groundbreaking shopping center costing £135,000,000.
The Elements contains 35 brand new shops, with Marks & Spencer and Debenhams as anchor stores. Within this development, there are socialising areas, rooftop bars restaurants and a Winter Garden, bringing the Almondvale Centre Development to over a million sq. ft. The old Safeway carpark has been developed into a new 3 story car park providing another 1500 spaces.
The Elements opened on October 16th 2008, joining with the Almondvale centre to become 'the centre'. In June 2011 car parking charges were introduced for the first time, costing 50p for up to 2 hours then approx £1 per hour after that.
