Gloucester Quays finished 2023 on a high, boasting 'double-digit growth' and 'record leasing' over the last 12 months, helping to cement its place as the county's leading shopping and leisure destination.
Peel L&P — the owner of Gloucester Quays — said that the centre exceeded targets across footfall and sales, with footfall up 5.5 per cent on 2022 and sales up 6.5 per cent.
It said soaring demand from what it calls 'international powerhouse brands' like PUMA, Timberland and NEXT have helped to drive the growth, alongside its calendar of events and customer experiences.
The festive period was a standout success, with footfall up by 9.1 per cent on December 2022, as visitors flocked to the outdoor ice rink, winter markets and shops. Sales also rose compared with this time last year, with spend in food and beverage rising by 10.5 per cent in November and 12.7 per cent in December 2023, and retail sales rising 13.4 per cent in November, too.
Peel L&P asset director, Paul Carter, said: '2023 was a milestone year for Gloucester Quays, and we are extremely proud of the outlet’s continued success: the record-breaking figures speak for themselves. The outlet continues to establish itself as a unique, industry-leading, all-day destination where both locals and new visitors alike want to spend meaningful time.
'Tracking these numbers really helps us understand who our visitors are and their motivations, and the way retail and F&B spend grew in November and December paints a great picture, something we will use to ensure we are consistently delivering a quality, tailored experience and tenant mix. We look forward to maintaining this momentum into 2024, upholding Gloucester Quays’ consistently engaging and diverse outlet offer.'
Alongside its positive growth, Gloucester Quays also took steps to make the destination more sustainable in 2023, becoming the first shopping-led destination in the country to achieve the UKGBC Net Zero Carbon - Operational Energy accreditation, as well as a three-star GRESB award.
