Department store’s return boosts footfall
THE return of department store TJ Hughes to the Fishergate Shopping Centre in Preston is helping to attract more shoppers into the heart of the city, new figures have revealed.
In its first fortnight of trading the discount department store increased the number of visitors to the shopping centre by thousands of shoppers.
TJ Hughes reopened in its original premises in Preston on October 13 after an absence of five years. The move was widely seen as a vote of confidence in the city centre as a shopping destination.
The opening also marked the latest stage in TJ Hughes managing director Anil Juneja’s plan to rebuild the group as a national chain, a commitment he made after it was bought by Lewis’s Home Retail in August 2011.
The Preston outlet is the 19th TJ Hughes store to be reopened by Lewis’s Home Retail. The company currently employs around 2,000 workers, including the 60 members of staff employed at its Preston outlet.
Latest figures from Fishergate Shopping Centre reveal an increase in footfall of 10,000 in the first two weeks of the store’s opening, compared to September’s figures.
Fishergate Shopping Centre manager Keith Mitchell said: “There’s no doubt the re-opening of TJ Hughes has created a real buzz.
“And that is reflected in the increasing visitor numbers we’ve seen at the centre since the store opened its doors for trading.
“TJ Hughes was incredibly popular with city centre shoppers in the past and that’s proved to be the case once again, with people returning to the re-opened outlet with real enthusiasm.
“And it has to be said TJ Hughes has created something really special. The outlet looks tremendous.”
TJ Hughes managing director Anil Juneja said: “We are very happy with our first month trading in Preston. The Fishergate Shopping Centre is a fantastic retail location, which is why we were so keen to reopen here.
“We knew we still had a loyal following here and the number of shoppers coming through our doors has been fantastic.
“Preston is a city that’s definitely on the up. We knew Preston had to be a part of our ambitious national expansion plans and it hasn’t disappointed.
“We look forward to working with the Fishergate Shopping Centre for many years to come helping to promote Preston as an attractive retail destination.”
Mitchell added: “It’s not just TJ Hughes that is attracting visitors. There is a real feeling of confidence about Preston city centre as a place to shop and to visit at the moment, which is reflected in the rising numbers of people we are seeing coming into the centre to spend their money.”
TJ Hughes is a discount department store specialising in home and fashion, fragrance and cosmetics, technology and electricals. It offers premium brands at up to 70% discount and quality products at low prices.
The Fishergate Shopping Centre was acquired by leading independent private equity real estate fund manager Benson Elliot in August 2013.
Benson Elliot, which was founded in 2005, has invested heavily in retail centres in towns and cities across the UK.
