Britannia Centre Spandau



The former Britannia Centre Spandau, before known as British Forces Families Centre (BFFC), was built in 1990 by PSA for the British Authorities on the site where Spandau Prison used to be located.

It centralised the main shopping, welfare, employment and broadcasting facilities for the British military community in Berlin.

The Britannia Centre consisted of a new shopping and cinema complex and five existing and completely refurbished two and three-storey buildings. It was opened in phases between September 1990 and mid-1991.

Its buildings are located at the junction of Wilhelmstraße and Gatower Straße next to the former Smuts Barracks in the Wilhelmstadt in Spandau.

Shopping Centre
SSVC – Sound and Vision Centre British Forces Post Office – sub office NAAFI Financial Services His & Hers Hair Studio YMCA – Book and Gift Shop NAAFI – "A-type" Shop Burger King Restaurant and Public toilets

Cinema Complex
Jerboa Cinema (with 230 seats) Public Information Area Bus Waiting Area Bank Cash Point (ATM) and Public toilets

Existing buildings
NAAFI – Area Administration NAAFI – Imperial Staff Club Wool Shop HIVE YMCA Administration and Staff Facilities Child Minding Centre BMWS – British Military Welfare Services Brigade Travel Office Thrift Shop RAOC Tailor Facility Complex Manager Station Staff Office (SSO) Community RMP Office PCLU Anglo-German Club SSVC Engineering Workshops and BFBS Studios and Offices

History
On 1 August 1946, the Summit House on Theodor-Heuss-Platz was formally opened as a NAAFI Club and was adapted to the changing needs over the years. In 1977 a study recommended the construction of a new facility. At the same time the future of Spandau Prison was put to diplomatic negotiations. In 1982 a Four Power Agreement was reached, which included a statement from the Governing Mayor of Berlin, Richard von Weizsäcker, that Spandau Prison should be demolished as quickly as possible after the death of its lone inmate Rudolf Hess.

Five weeks after the Hess' death on 17 August 1987 at 1610 hours, the demolition of Spandau Prison began and was completed on 4 November 1987.

In May 1988 the construction of the new facility started an was finished on 18 September 1990. The name Britannia Centre was chosen by competition from over 40 entries.

After British Withdrawal
After the Berlin Infantry Brigade was dissolved in mid-1994 the Britannia Centre Spandau lost its name and became the only no-name shopping centre in Berlin. It was used by Kaiser's Tengelmann, ALDI, Media Markt and a few small companies. Already in late 2008, Media Markt left the main shopping complex, leaving the space abandoned since. In 2011 the new owner, a development company applied for permission to demolish the cinema complex of the Britannia Centre, which was used by ALDI till October 2011. The contracts for both, the cinema complex and the shopping complex, with then Kaiser's inside, were terminated before. Kaiser's left the Shopping Complex on 31 December 2011.

As of May 2013 the cinema complex has vanished and the shopping complex has been changed up way beyond recognition. The glas dome is gone. On 20 June 2013, a "Kaufland Center" will open inside.

Landmark Protection
The old two and three-storey buildings, which are nowadays home for doctors offices amongs other uses are all listed as protected landmarks in the Berliner Landesdenkmalliste. The two main buildings are not protected. Therefor the regarding office at the Bezirksamt Spandau has no option to deny any demolition requests