TRADING HOURS EXTENDED AS SHOPPERS HIT THE STREETS OF LIVERPOOL ONE

2008 has certainly been a year of ups and downs, especially on the high street, but it seems that the success story of 2008 is one of the newest and largest retail developments to hit Europe.

Launching in two phases in May and October this year, Liverpool ONE has been a success story since opening, with retailers enjoying some of their strongest national sales on the new streets of Liverpool ONE.

Shoppers have flocked in their millions to see the transformation of Liverpool ONE and now demand from consumers and retailers alike has resulted in trading hours being extended until 9pm until Christmas, with hundreds of thousands of shoppers predicted to make the most of the extended trading hours.

And as much of the country suffers the effects of a drop-off in retail spend, Liverpool city centre has bucked the national trend jumping from 15th to 5th in UK retail ratings according to Experian’s latest statistics.

Commenting on the impact of Liverpool ONE, Colliers CRE’s Annual Retail Market Overview stated that:- "The region's reputation as a retail destination was boosted by the opening of the 1.65m square foot Liverpool ONE development.  The scheme is bucking the national downward trend in retail and trading well.”

Liverpool ONE now offers 42-acres of inspirationally designed streets and parkland and with more stores and eateries opening every week Liverpool ONE continues to further boost the city's trading in the crucial Christmas shopping period.

Footfall increases in Liverpool ONE each week and retailers continue to ring the tills as they welcome upwards of ½ million shoppers every week, increasing the footfall in the city as a whole and further supporting the economy of our Capital of Culture.

Donna Howitt, Liverpool ONE Marketing Director, commented:- “It’s been all eyes on Liverpool this year with both Capital of Culture and the birth of Liverpool ONE taking centre stage in the regeneration of a great European city, and the successes in Liverpool continue.

Trading has remained strong with retailers and customers alike feeling positive in the run up to Christmas, and extending our trading hours until 9pm reflects this.  Footfall has been up in the city since Liverpool ONE first opened in the summer and we have seen no end of positive and exciting news from our retailers, including some consistently out-performing their London rivals.  It has been a year to remember, a year of ups and downs.  Liverpool ONE is now an offering that is a success story in the midst of a high-street slump.

We are feeling positive about Christmas trading but are not complacent.  Shoppers are being asked to spend the country out of financial difficulties and they are looking for incentives and advantages to help them do that.  There are certainly quality bargains to be had, and more successes to be enjoyed on the high street.”

Footfall figures released by the city council show an increase of 33% in the city centre since the first phase of Liverpool ONE opened on 29 May 2008. 

This saw the city reconnected with the historic waterfront and since then the impact on the Albert Dock has been significant seeing a 48% increase while public transport is also up 10%.

The development’s flagship retail anchors, John Lewis and Debenhams, are each showing monthly successes against the national downturn trends.

It is details such as these that continue to prove that while the climate is no doubt tough nationally Liverpool ONE is playing a central role in the evolution of Liverpool turning the city back into a focal point of retail and leisure throughout the North West.

Celebrity Watch Part 2...  The Wombats
Photographs and report by Ian Andrew Fairbrother

LIVERPOOL band the wombats where in Liverpool this week for a the midnight signing of there Christmas single launch "This Is Christmas".  The event was held in the Liverpool 1 HMV Store where about 100 people turned up to see them perform and sign copies.