Personally, I Love the Old Market, it was something new and exciting for the city, I do not believe that existing large chains were 'poached' they saw an opportunity and took it. Why would you not be attracted by a brand new building with initial concessions on the rent?
The problem is that it was all disjointed from the start and should have incorporated the existing shops in the city centre Example; They could have had a walkway directly from the Multi-storey car part straight across the road directly into Maylord Orchards, this would have prevented people waiting at the lights at the Wellington Pub and constantly stopping the flow of traffic. I mentioned this in a council meeting that I was invited too once to be sniggered at and told by another councillor that English Heritage would not allow a walkway to be built over the top of the ancient city walls, to which I replied they allowed Tesco to build actually within the walls! There was no further response from that councillor...
I was disappointed like many people that the Old Market was not covered with a roof! It should have been all in door, they could have had apartments on the roof. Car park should have been FREE for the first two hours providing you purchase goods etc..
When I travel to shopping centres in Europe nearly all parking is Free, in Poland they actually provide free buses across he cities to collect shoppers.
The demise of many of these large retailers does not lay at the door of the old Market but at the poor management and greedy CEO's of these companies.
How many time have you been in a shop, you cannot find what you are looking for or you cannot find your size clothing so you then ask an assistant to help you to immediately then be told by that person 'Oh you can buy this online', I always tell that person that if they tell too many people the same thing they will put themselves out of a job...