Rising Visitor Numbers at Market Town Shopping Centres

Rising Visitor Numbers at Market Town Shopping Centres

5 October 2012

The Olympics may have failed to deliver a boost in consumer spending in some of the UK’s major cities  but market town retail specialists Dransfield Properties Ltd say their centres have reported strong figures during the summer.

The Barnsley based firm owns and manages a number of schemes in town and district centres across the country including Sanderson Arcade at Morpeth in the North East and Marshall’s Yard at Gainsborough in Lincolnshire. 

Visitor numbers at Marshall’s Yard were boosted this summer by the installation of a new outdoor TV in time for the Olympic Games as well as the opening of a boutique department store by the independent company Browns - enhancing the retail offer at the centre and bringing new brands to the town including Barbour, East, Estee Lauder and Clarins.

Two other stores have also benefited from extensive refits and with the new Browns fit out the centre has had nearly £1 million invested in it over the last two months with further investment planned this autumn.

Visitor numbers rose significantly during August as did dwell time and almost all stores reported a good increase in sales figures compared to the previous year. Marshall’s Yard is home to a number of high profile national retailers including M&S, Laura Ashley, Next, DW Sports and New Look.

At Sanderson Arcade in Morpeth the centre has recently attracted high end names including Hobbs and Frank Bird. The successful online retailer The Wool Room has also just opened its first retail store at Sanderson Arcade – contributing to a steady rise in footfall by an average of three percent every week.

A new Edwardian Chocolate Room and Snug is also helping to attract visitors, benefiting from the popularity of costume dramas such as Downton Abbey.

Head of Communications at Dransfield Properties, which owns and manages both centres, Amanda Holmes, said: “We had some really encouraging figures from July and August, particularly at our centres in Morpeth and Gainsborough.

“At Marshall’s Yard we really set out to be part of the Olympics and encourage people to come to the centre and watch the events by installing a big screen which we have further plans for throughout the year.

“We’ve also had the opening of a new department store this summer which brings something new to the town. 

“We have always worked primarily in market town and district centres and try to work with other local stakeholders and groups to promote the areas we work in. We’ve also been fortunate at both Morpeth and Gainsborough to have a number of new  tenants throughout this year which has attracted new customers.”

Marshall’s Yard was awarded the 2007 BCSC Gold Award for an in-town retail scheme and Sanderson Arcade has also won a number of high profile awards including the UK Commercial Property Award 2010 for the best mixed use development.

For more information at Dransfield Properties visit www.dransfield.co.uk

Pictured is Marshall's Yard in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire which opened in April 2007.

For further information, contact:

Public Relations Department, Dransfield Properties Ltd
Tel: 01226 360644
Email: pr@dransfield.co.uk