Footfall up 7% at the Trafford Centre
YEAR-ON-YEAR footfall at the Trafford Centre is up 7% and occupancy stands at 97% according to the its new owners Capital Shopping Centres.
In an interim management statement for January 1 to May 17 CSC, which acquired the business from Peel Holdings for £1.6bn in January, said the centre had now been integrated into the group.
Chief executive David Fischel, told investors the Trafford Centre had “performed strongly” and there is “encouraging” levels of interest in the eight vacant units.
Recent openings have included the new lingerie chain Boux Avenue, Lacoste, JD Wetherspoon and Ted Baker. Marks & Spencer and Debenhams are being extended with M&S due to open in the autumn.
Planning consent has been secured for the enclosure of two service yard areas and proposals to enclose the central courtyard area of Barton Square have been submitted.
Mr Fischel said: “Since acquisition, The Trafford Centre has performed strongly and we are pleased to have now integrated this prime asset into CSC’s business. Footfall at CSC’s centres has remained strong with a 3% increase for the year to date which follows similar increases in each of the last two years as customers continue to choose to visit larger shopping centres with a wide range of attractions.
“We continue to expect 2011 to be a difficult year for consumers but CSC’s overall performance for the year to date has been in line with expectations, with progress on lettings to improve the overall tenant mix and in its active management and investment plans.”
CSC, which owns a string of regional shopping centres including four of the UK’s top six outdoor shopping centres and nine major in-town centres – including Manchester’s Arndale – said the group had been reorganised into two regions.
Managers based at the Trafford Centre now handle the Arndale, a centre in Glasgow and one in Bristol. “The new structure has strengthened the group’s overall executive team and sharing of ideas across the two regions will be to the benefit of the group as a whole,” said CSC.
