Manchester enjoys summer retail boom

RETAIL sales in Manchester were up 7.2% on last year during the summer months, according to figures released by the city’s business improvement district (BID).

It said this was ahead of the national average of 1.8% from June to August, and June was particularly strong, up 14.3% against 1.4% across the UK.

The BID, which represents over 380 retailers, also saw increased footfall – up 10.6% in July compared to a UK average increase of 2.3%.

It put the improvement down to a strong events calendar, which included the Manchester Day Parade in June, the Manchester International Festival in July and Dig The City and Manchester Pride in August.

Jane Sharrocks, general manager of Selfridges in Exchange Square and chair of the BID, said: “Manchester’s calendar of events is thriving, grows in profile year on year, and is proven to impact positively on retail sales. Events such as the Manchester Day Parade and Manchester International Festival both enjoyed their fourth year this summer, and Dig the City returned on a larger scale and is set to grow. The word is spreading far and wide about the quality of these events.”