▁kept ▁their ▁D ud ley ▁store ▁open ▁for ▁two ▁months ▁after ▁its ▁Mer ry ▁Hill ▁replacement ▁opened ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁c ash ing ▁in ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁Christmas ▁sales ▁before ▁closing ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁British ▁Home ▁St ores ▁had ▁intended ▁to ▁continue ▁trad ing ▁from ▁their ▁D ud ley ▁store , ▁but ▁a ▁sharp ▁fall ▁in ▁trade ▁following ▁the ▁Mer ry ▁Hill ▁store ' s ▁opening ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁decision ▁to ▁close ▁the ▁D ud ley ▁store , ▁with ▁it ▁closing ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁ ▁A ▁further ▁blow ▁came ▁when ▁the ▁local ▁council , ▁D ud ley ▁Metropolitan ▁Bor ough , ▁announced ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁bringing ▁in ▁par king ▁charges ▁throughout ▁the ▁area ; ▁this ▁turned ▁more ▁sh opp ers ▁away ▁from ▁local ▁town ▁cent res , ▁and ▁towards ▁the ▁Mer ry ▁Hill ▁Centre , ▁where ▁par king ▁remains ▁free . ▁Though ▁there ▁have ▁been ▁plans ▁for ▁introdu cing ▁par king ▁charges ▁at ▁the ▁centre , ▁this ▁has ▁been ▁critic ised , ▁iron ically , ▁due ▁to ▁fear s ▁of ▁impact ing ▁trade . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Mer ry ▁Hill ▁Centre , ▁along ▁with ▁nearby ▁B rier ley ▁Hill , ▁was ▁red es ign ated ▁as ▁the ▁' str ateg ic ▁town ▁centre ' ▁of ▁the ▁D ud ley ▁Bor ough , ▁and ▁thus ▁the ▁focus ▁of ▁future ▁local ▁government ▁invest ment . ▁ ▁The ▁Mer ry ▁Hill ▁Centre