Bracknell's 'The Deck' project opening delayed for a year

Part of the vision for the future of The Lexicon is a new leisure and shopping quarter called The Deck, which will serve as a grand entrance to The Lexicon in Bracknell High Street.

CGIs of The Deck show it being located between Ocean House, a 13.5 storey office block, and the historic pub The Bull in Bracknell town centre.

Bracknell’s much-loved Bentalls department store has been all but demolished to make way for it.

A drawing of The Deck sandwiched between Ocean House on the right and The Bull pub to the left. Credit: Piper Whitlock

The Deck had an initial opening date of 2022. However, the general manager of The Lexicon has now said that is is ‘anticipated’ to open in 2023 - a one year delay.

This has been revealed after the Local Democracy Reporting Service asked about the status of the demolition of Bentalls and whether any work has begun on building The Deck.

Rob Morris, the general manager of The Lexicon said: “Work is progressing well on site with the demolition of Bentalls making way for a new dining and leisure hotspot, The Deck, with construction already underway.

“Considerable work is being undertaken in the background and we anticipate the completion of The Deck 2023, bringing a host of exciting independent and chain dining and leisure brands to Bracknell, reinvigorating the evening economy to better align with the flourishing daytime scene that The Lexicon created when it opened back in 2017. ”

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Once completed, The Deck will have 14 units to host the brands Mr Morris has mentioned. Two brands, The Botanist bar & kitchen and Hollywood Bowl bowling alley have already signed up for units.

Hollywood Bowl already has a location at The Point, and did not have plans to move into The Deck until 2023 anyway.

The grand vision for The Deck viewed from Bracknell High Street. Credit: Piper Whitlock

According to previous reports, The Deck will cost an estimated total of £19.9 million.

Of that, £12 million of investment will come from Bracknell Regeneration Partnership (BRP), a joint venture between Legal & General, a financial services and asset management company, and the Schroders UK investment company.

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BRP had already spent £1 million in scheme appraisal costs according to a report in November 2020.

Bracknell Forest Council will have contributed £6 million once the project was finished, and £955,882 from the Department of Transport has also been invested.