Sales boost for Sheffield’s Meadowhall

Sales at Sheffield’s Meadowhall Shopping Centre were up 5.7 per cent year-on-year for 2015 to date.

June saw a 10 per cent boost to sales compared with 2014 figures, compared to a 2.9 per cent uplift nationally.

The results come despite British Retail Consortium (BRC) figures showing further decline in footfall at shopping centres.

Darren Pearce, director at British Land-owned Meadowhall, said: “The recent sales figures are indicative of a renewed consumer and retail confidence: great news for Meadowhall, our local economy, and the region.

“June registered some of the hottest days on record but it didn’t stop customers from visiting.”

Meadowhall’s restaurants performed particularly well last month, with a 14 per cent sales increase, helped by the opening of a new “supersize” Nandos and the recently refurbished Wagamama.

But travel agents saw the greatest boost, with last-minute bookers driving a 31 per cent rise in sales.

Fashion stores were up seven per cent year-on-year, while increases in footwear (17 per cent), womenswear (nine per cent) and menswear (10 per cent) also helped the Centre’s performance.

Earlier this month, the BRC revealed retail sales were up 2.9 per cent in June. However, figures released today by BRC and Springboard reveal a 1.5 per cent decline in footfall nationally, following a one per cent drop in May.

Numbers were down 2.4 per cent at shopping centres and 2.8 per cent at high streets. This was offset by continued growth at out-of-town retail parks, up 2.8 per cent on 2014.