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A well-known Exeter shopping centre has been snapped up by a developer known for its huge student accommodation projects across the UK.

Harlequins Shopping Centre, a troubled mall off Paul Street and Guildhall Shopping Centre, was sold in recent weeks by Antler Property to Curlew Property.

The news has both shocked and saddened the remaining businesses still trading inside, as their leases have stopped being renewed and the developer has hinted at upcoming plans to develop the site.

Watch above: A fly-through of Harlequins, or scroll below: Reaction from businesses inside

However, it won't come to the surprise of the shopping centre's critics - who for years have labeled it 'unattractive' and, because of it's current eight empty units, a 'ghost town.'

Curlew Property has confirmed the massive purchase following requests from Devon Live - but it is keeping its plans, and how much they paid for the site, temporarily under wraps.

A spokesperson from Curlew Opportunities commented: “The Harlequins Centre is located in a central part of Exeter, and we are looking forward to working with the local community and other local stakeholders as we develop our plans to bring a new lease of life to this part of the city.

"We will announce further information in the coming months.”

The Dutch company is behind the major, multi-million pound transformation of Birmingham's Old Firehouse off Aston Street into a 'student village.'

Closer to home, they commissioned the luxury development of Cricket Field Court on Exeter's Prince of Wales Road.

Its other projects across the UK centre around striking, modern student developments.

While still open for business, traders are worrying about what the future has in store.

Shaun Maloney, 'The Mod Barber', said he put his 'heart, soul and lots of money' into setting up his men's barber in Harlequins.

For him the news is heartbreaking.

"They're a business and they've got to do what they've got to do," he admitted,

"They're coming in and saying, you've got 'x' amount of months to find somewhere else and they're not renewing our leases.

"When I first moved in here it was really, really busy and it was a case of moving into the town or moving in here and I actually took here.

"The previous owners [Antler Property] said they would give me a three or five year lease renew it. Now they say I can't renew it because they sold it.

poll loading Do you shop at Harlequins Shopping Centre? 1000+ VOTES SO FAR Yes No

"I'll have to close. It's too expensive in the city centre, it really is unless I join up with Nail Bar. But to go alone... The city centre is just too expensive.

"It's just a shame. But I will find something and I'm not worried. I have built a large customer base now on Facebook, and something will come up."

Alex Ciurenscu, 19, who works at Mr Fix U: "Just about a week ago and I was really surprised because there is already a lot of student accommodation in town and one of them will be open in a week.

"So I don't get the idea why they want to do another one because there are more than five buildings of them over here.

"A lot of students will finish this year and not a lot of them will come back.

Facts about student built accommodation in Exeter Since 2007 an extra 8,500 UoE students have been in need of accommodation (about 10,000 students)

5,300 student flat units provided since 2007

Total bed spaces in purpose built student accommodation is 7,750

Current pipe line of 3,600 student bedspaces over next three years

By 2020 10,000 bed spaces will be provided against need of 20,000

2:1 is national average

Conventional housing stock in May 2011 2,120 council tax exemptions June 2018 there were 2,134

She worries about the impact on traders in Harlequins: "A lot of businesses will lose their jobs, even me.

"Some people will need that money to feed their children. Unless they have a Plan B."

Andrew McNeilly, centre manager of Guildhall Shopping Centre - which has its own plans in the pipe-line, has a positive attitude to the creation of student flats in the centre of the city.

He says that 34,000-strong student population are vital to keeping the city centre's night time economy buoyant, being drawn to the city's thriving restaurant and bar scene.

But he added that the city needs to "capitalise on their absence" during the summer months they return home.

Harlequins Shopping Centre was built in 1987, originally Paul Street bus station and then car park.

It's over-bridge linking it with neighbouring shopping centre, Guildhall, was lifted and slotted into place.

It has changed ownership several times since the late 1980s, with London and Manchester, Clovell and Antler Property all acting as landlord until the recent sale to Curlew.

The normally kind Exeter Memories website blasts the centre, labelling it an "unattractive, modern 'American' style mall" which "forms one side of the canyon that is the sad fate of Paul Street."

It adds: "It always seems dull and empty, probably because it never seems to lead anywhere."

An announcement regarding the public exhibition of plans for the shopping centre are expected in the coming weeks.