Started in 1896, it was built to connect the main entrance of David Morgan's department store on St Mary's Street, with his other store on The Hayes.
It opened in 1899 as the New Central Arcade, running east–west from Hayes to St. Mary's Street.
After the agreed closure of David Morgan's, the property assets inside the various holdings companies were sold in late 2004 for £25 million to property firm Helical Bar.
[2] Between 2007 and 2008 the whole site was refurbished by Helical Bar, with the arcades restored.
The companies spent £30M on restoring both the Morgan and Royal arcades, with some first-floor Venetian windows and original wooden storefronts still surviving.