Christmas lift for Merseyway

MANAGERS of the Merseyway shopping centre in Stockport said Christmas footfall was up on last year.

In the trading week before Christmas Day more than 216,000 people visited the centre – up 4.2% on 2012 and the highest since property agency GVA started managing the Merseyway in 2009.

The number of shoppers exceeded one million for the third successive year and the total for 2013 hit 10 million. The centre has 91 units and 87 are occupied.

Jacqueline O’Shea, national director for property management at GVA and managing agent of Merseyway, said: “As the UK emerges from the grips of a prolonged downturn, we’re witnessing an increase in consumer confidence reflected by an ever rising number of visitors to Merseyway.

“People are starting to loosen their purse strings and in particular, like to spend that bit more on gifts for friends and family at Christmas.”