The alarms going off at Friars Walk and evacuation of staff this morning was a routine test not a real emergency.
If you were walking past the shopping centre just before 9am you may have heard the alarms and seen shop workers leaving the premises.
A security guard who works for Friars Walk confirmed it was not a real evacuation, instead it was a practice evacuation.
The shops had been informed ahead of the practice evacuation which was done in the early hours to prevent disruption, he added.
At around ten past 9 this morning, staff members wearing Hi-Vis Vests could be seen directing workers back into the shopping centre.
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