In January 202 Primark announced its intention to re-develop the former BHS store on Southend High Street. Contractors were appointed and we we asked to scan the entire shell on behalf of Matterport Scan Services. A spokesman for Primark said at the time:
“Primark can confirm that its Southend store will be relocated to a site nearby in town at 36-44 High Street, Southend. The new store will offer more retail space with a broader product range and will feature a contemporary shop fit. Construction work began on Monday, February 11, and is expected to complete in summer 2020.’
A very large space and a lot of work to do
This space was around 60,000 square feet and somehow Peter managed to capture this in a single day (albeit a very long day). The below image shows the basement section which shows the condition it was in and just how much work the builders (Graham Construction) had to do.
Full PPE
When working on construction sites our engineers wear full PPE and have also completed asbestos awareness certificates as a necessary precaution. The below image shows what an engineer has to negotiate when scanning bare bones buildings:
Up on the roof
One of the last shots we captured was on the roof complete with a fairly murky but still picturesque view of the sea. Matterport cameras rely on infrared light so 3D scanning outside is not recommended unless during dawn or dusk – on this occasion only 360 views were required.
Update October 2020
The new store opened on the 14th October with socially distanced queues and a live DJ.
