Merseyway sales soar in 2011
GVA, managing agent of the shopping centre in Stockport, said sales rose sharply by 50% last year.
Visitor numbers to the centre last year hit a record of 10 million, and 94 of 104 units are occupied. Of the 10 vacant units, six are in the hands of solicitors or under offer, leaving just four units empty.
Mark Rawstron, senior director of GVA Manchester and managing agent for Merseyway, said: "It's fantastic to see investment in Merseyway paying off both in terms of visitor numbers and online activity.
"Providing a shopping centre that Stockport can be proud of is a key factor in the ongoing retail success of the town centre."
Merseyway is owned by Bradford & Bingley, which appointed GVA as Law of Property Act receiver in the recession following the collapse of the previous owner, one London-based investor Simon Halabi's companies.
GVA's trading figures for Merseyway showed Office Shoes, Goldsmiths jewellers and perfumery store The Fragrance Shop among the best performing stores.
Rawstron added: "Retailers at Merseyway said the increase in trading and overall popularity of the centre resulted from bricks and mortar investment and rebranding activity over the past two years."
Discount fashion store Primark opened in September 2011 to boost footfall further.
Savills and Tushingham Moore are letting agents for Merseyway shopping centre.
There is not one decent store left in Stockport. They have lost Chestergate to cheap and cheerful Primark, and so many loan shops, pound shops and other here today gone tomorrow junk type shops, it is not worth paying to park your car! There is not even a furniture store and the only quality store is M&S.
By beryl
I agree about losing the Co-op, which was a lovely old fashioned, Grace Brothers-type shop. People are very scathing about the quality of the Primark stuff. The shops that are there aren’t buzzing – they are often empty. Is this GVA Grimley spin again?
By Sheila Oliver