Across McArthurGlen’s seven factory outlet centres total sales increased by just under 6 per cent for the three weeks to January 4 and like-for-like sales climbed 4 per cent compared with last year.
At two of the country’s other big factory outlets, Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth and The Galleria in Hatfield, Hertfordshire – both owned by Land Securities – sales also soared.
At Gunwharf Quays in the weekend ending January 4 retail sales soared 43 per cent compared with the same period in 2008. At The Galleria sales increased 6 per cent in the first week after Christmas year on year.
Across McArthurGlen’s seven schemes the biggest sales rise was from designer brands, which were up 25 per cent. Designer accessories were up 21 per cent and jewellery rose 20 per cent.
McArthurGlen UK director Henrik Madsen said the increase is down to falling consumer spend on the high street as shoppers seek to tighten their belts, but still want clothing, jewellery and accessories.
He said: “The consumer is much more cautious in terms of buying at the moment. I think we will see consumers changing their habits.
“We are getting a lot more AB shoppers. We found over the Christmas period especially that a lot of new shoppers have come to our centres.”
Footfall across the schemes was up 2 per cent compared with Christmas 2007.
McArthurGlen has a policy of constantly updating its tenant mix to match changing patterns in consumer spend. Madsen said this puts the company in good stead because it is able to adapt quickly to changing consumer demographics.
He added: “We’ve been very mindful about the tenants we have and the ones we would like to be working with. We’ve been very careful about exposing ourselves to the names that the consumers haven’t responded as well to.”
Last year McArthurGlen ceased its relationship with multi-brand retailers Designer Room, Logo and Select.
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