Operated by Thrive Health Hubs, the 14,000 sq ft Community Diagnostic Centre occupies the former Argos unit and is expected to deliver around 30,000 additional diagnostic appointments each year, including X-rays and heart and lung tests.

The letting is an important milestone in the continued repositioning of Victoria Centre.  Since Southend-on-Sea Council acquired the centre in 2020, the strategy has been to broaden its role beyond traditional retail by introducing more health, wellbeing, leisure and community uses.

The arrival of Thrive Health Hubs, together with NHS Phlebotomy clinic and Brookfield healthcare who have also been brought to the scheme since purchase, also reflects the growing role of healthcare in UK town centres, with former retail space increasingly being repurposed to provide accessible community health services.

National research published by Boots, also a longstanding Victoria Centre tenant, found that across their portfolio 94% of people would visit other shops and businesses when travelling to access local healthcare, spending an average of £15 more per visit.  So there is a wider financial ripple effect for town centres.

The opening strengthens Victoria Centre’s diverse mix of uses while demonstrating how healthcare can support town centre regeneration, create new reasons to visit and help ensure centres remain relevant to the communities they serve.