Pipps Hill is one of Basildon's best-known retail and industrial areas, lying to the north of the town centre around Miles Gray Road, Upper Mayne, Luckyn Lane, Bentalls and Chester Hall Lane. Today the name is particularly associated with Pipps Hill Retail Park, but the surrounding area has also been an important centre of employment since the development of Basildon New Town.
The area has changed considerably. Land that later became the retail park had once contained homes around Basildon Road and Bracken Mount. Much of this was cleared during the 1960s for future development, although the site remained largely undeveloped for many years. The road connection between Upper Mayne and Miles Gray Road was created in the early 1980s, helping to open the area for later commercial development.
The present shopping park opened in 1990 as Heron Retail Park, taking its name from the company responsible for the development. It was later renamed Pipps Hill Retail Park. Among the best-known early stores were Halfords, Comet and B&Q. The development introduced a large out-of-town shopping area with extensive free parking and large warehouse-style shops that could carry far more stock than many traditional town-centre units.
Comet was one of the original electrical retailers at Pipps Hill, selling televisions, video recorders, washing machines, cookers and other household electrical goods. The national Comet chain eventually disappeared from the high street after entering administration in 2012. Electrical retailing at Pipps Hill continued through other businesses, most notably Currys.
Halfords was another early tenant and remains associated with the retail park today. Its range centres on motoring and cycling, including car accessories, batteries, bulbs, tools, cleaning products, bicycles and cycling equipment.
B&Q has also been one of the long-standing anchors of the park. Its large store sells DIY materials, tools, timber, decorating products, lighting, gardening equipment and products for kitchens and bathrooms. Together with Asda at the opposite end, B&Q remains one of the largest stores on the site.
Asda has had a particularly interesting history at Pipps Hill. The supermarket originally traded from a different unit on the park, in premises associated with the earlier Dales store. Asda later moved to the much larger supermarket building that it occupies today, while the earlier unit subsequently became associated with DFS.
The present Asda Pipps Hill Superstore is one of the principal anchors of the retail park. In addition to groceries, the larger store format has offered clothing through George at Asda and a variety of household and general merchandise. Its presence helped turn Pipps Hill from a collection of large specialist shops into a destination where visitors could combine their weekly food shop with visits to furniture, electrical, DIY and other retailers.
Pipps Hill continues to operate as one of Basildon's main out-of-town retail destinations. The retail park covers roughly 219,000 square feet and contains a mixture of large warehouse stores, smaller shops, food outlets and services. Retailers can change over time, but the following are among the businesses currently associated with the park.
Asda
Large supermarket selling groceries, household goods, clothing and a broad range of everyday products.
B&Q
DIY and home-improvement warehouse selling building materials, tools, decorating supplies, garden products, kitchens, bathrooms and household fittings.
DFS
Furniture retailer best known for sofas, chairs, sofa beds and other living-room furniture.
Halfords
Motoring and cycling retailer selling car accessories, tools, batteries, bulbs, bicycles and cycling equipment.
TK Maxx
Discount fashion and home retailer selling branded clothing, footwear, accessories, beauty products and homeware.
Currys
Electrical retailer selling televisions, computers, laptops, phones, kitchen appliances, gaming equipment and other consumer technology.
Wren Kitchens
Kitchen specialist with fitted-kitchen displays, planning services, cabinets, worktops and associated products.
Pets at Home
Pet retailer selling food, bedding, toys, cages, aquariums and accessories for a wide range of animals. Pet-related services have also been offered from the store.
Poundstretcher
Discount retailer selling household essentials, cleaning products, food and drink, health and beauty products, garden goods, storage, stationery, toys and pet supplies.
Tapi Carpets & Floors
Flooring retailer selling carpets, vinyl, laminate and other flooring products. Tapi now occupies the flooring position listed by the retail park's current letting information; older plans and directories show Carpetright in this part of the tenant mix.
The Gym Group
Gym and fitness facility providing exercise equipment and workout space, adding a leisure use to what was traditionally a retail-only park.
Argos
General merchandise retailer whose catalogue-style range covers technology, toys, homeware, furniture, appliances, jewellery and many other household products.
Card Factory
Cards, gift wrap, balloons and celebration products for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and seasonal occasions.
Wenzel's
Bakery selling bread, cakes, pastries, sandwiches, savouries and hot and cold takeaway food.
Costa Coffee
Coffee shop serving hot and cold drinks, cakes, sandwiches and snacks.
Subway
Takeaway and restaurant specialising in made-to-order submarine sandwiches, wraps, salads and snacks.
Burger King
Fast-food restaurant serving burgers, fries, drinks and other takeaway meals, with a drive-through facility associated with the Pipps Hill site.
Like most retail parks, Pipps Hill has never had a completely fixed collection of shops. Businesses have opened, moved, expanded, rebranded or disappeared as shopping habits have changed. Names remembered from earlier periods include Comet, Dales and Carpetright, while other businesses have occupied or shared units at different times. Older directories also record names such as ScS and Cancer Research UK among the park's occupiers.
The changes reflect wider developments in British retail. Large electrical chains consolidated, internet shopping altered the way electrical and general merchandise was sold, and furniture and home-improvement retailers became increasingly important on out-of-town parks. Pipps Hill has nevertheless remained a busy shopping location because of its large stores, parking and road connections.