HAMMERSON PLC 01.12.2014
Visitor levels up across Hammerson portfolio as shoppers ensure they don't miss out.
Retail property specialist, Hammerson saw over half a million shoppers* head to its centres this Black Friday as consumers took advantage of significant in-store discounts and kick started their Christmas shopping.
Compared to Black Friday last year footfall across Hammerson's shopping centres in major cities was up 17% and up over 30% when compared to the same day in 2009, when Black Friday was yet to feature as a major shopping event in retailer and consumer diaries.
At Brent Cross in North London, footfall was up over 50% compared to last year and the picture was consistent across the UK with Silverburn in Glasgow also seeing a 22% increase in shoppers during the day.
The consumer desire to ensure they don't miss out on discounts of up to 50% also extended to retail parks, with Manor Walks in Cramlington reporting that electrical retailers exceeded sales expectations of between 300-600%.
On the top of shoppers' lists this year were big ticket electrical items and gadgets, alongside clothing, with strong performances from well-loved fashion and accessories brands. Shoppers treated themselves to purchases to make the most of the deep discounts, as the event coincided with the last payday weekend before Christmas.
David Atkins, Chief Executive of Hammerson commented: "We knew that Black Friday was going to be popular with consumers this year however the breadth of retailers taking part across our centres and signs of strong trading performances means that Black Friday is undoubtedly here to stay. Our centres all saw dramatic increases in footfall, which has kick-started the Christmas shopping season, and we have seen retailers extend discounts for the entire weekend to maximise impact for shoppers. In coming years this date could challenge Boxing Day as retailers' biggest event of the year."
ENDS
*Note: All footfall figures are calculated on a year-on-year basis and include the following centres Brent Cross, North London; Bullring, Birmingham; Cabot Circus, Bristol; Highcross, Leicester; Silverburn, Glasgow; The Oracle, Reading; Union Square, Aberdeen and WestQuay, Southampton.
Each year, over 170 million shoppers visit the following shopping centres owned by Hammerson in the UK: Brent Cross, North London; Bullring, Birmingham; Cabot Circus, Bristol; Centrale, Croydon; Highcross, Leicester; Silverburn, Glasgow; The Oracle, Reading; Union Square, Aberdeen; Victoria Quarter, Leeds; WestQuay, Southampton.
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