Press Releases

According to the 2008 shopping centre analyses carried out by Trevor Wood Associates, in conjunction with Savills, Metrocentre has retained the award it won in 2006 in spite of competition from new centres.

Significant changes took place within the top twenty ranking order of the country’s leading shopping centres but Metrocentre retained its position as the UK’s favourite centre.

Metrocentre received extremely high scores throughout many of the categories in the report. Every shopping centre trading since the beginning of September 2008 was ranked by overall attractiveness to shoppers, retailers and investors. Specific categories include quality of tenants, lettable retail area, whether it is open to the elements, covered or enclosed, along with Sunday trading, parking provision, transport links, weekly footfall and other facilities offered.

Trevor Wood Associates’ annual report ‘Going Shopping’, which provides over 200 pages of league tables and in-depth analysis of the UK’s shopping centres, bases its rankings on overall attractiveness and provides a full-spectrum industry view.

The survey covers over 850 shopping centres, parks and factory outlets throughout the UK and this year included significant new developments such as Silverburn in Glasgow and Liverpool One.

Metrocentre’s improved retail mix was a major contributor which includes new stores such as Peacocks, Flatbread Café, Superdry and Guess Boutique. In addition the Centre has undergone and continues to undergo huge redevelopment including the works in the Centre’s yellow mall with an investment of £45 million - opening in 2009.

Metrocentre totals 1,818,000 sq ft (168,892 sq m) in 2008, which makes it the biggest shopping and leisure centre in Europe.

Trevor Wood says: “Metrocentre draws its success from its winning combination of excellent transport links and the diversity of its retail offer. 80 buses an hour arrive at Metrocentre from throughout the North East, for drivers, the Centre boasts almost 10,000 free parking spaces.

“In terms of stores Metrocentre’s 330 units house retailers ranging from Argos to All Saints, from Cafe Rouge to Karen Millen and everything in between – all said it’s not hard to see how Metrocentre has maintained its position at #1 having taken it from Bluewater in 2006.“

Barry Turnbull, General Manager expressed his delight and that of his management team at the news. “We are thrilled to retain this position especially as the yellow mall is undergoing substantial changes.

“This is just reward for all our team who work tirelessly behind the scenes running the shopping centre. It is also great news for the region knowing that they have the number one shopping centre on their doorstep.”