REVO: Rise of entertainment challenges pop-ups, says Calendar Club

Director David Pike said the growing trend of shopping centres spending more on in-house entertainment has a damaging knock-on effect to seasonal retailers’ performance.

He said: “With shopping centres trying to get as much footfall often they will prioritise entertainment over temporary, seasonal stores like ours. The rise of food and leisure is something that we are having to learn to deal with as often trumping us. We don’t get priority anymore which we are learning to manage.

“Nowadays we don’t stand a chance against businesses like Scribbler or The Card Factory where they’re popping up out of nowhere and staying for long leases in centres.”

Calendar Club opens 300 temporary stores around the UK and Ireland between September and January. Stores are now open at Market Place in Crewe and Manchester Arndale with more to follow.

Pike added: “But, we are a fantastic solution to landlords filling temporary leases on sites, or if centres need empty shop space filling too, and there will be no permanent effect on the Calendar Club because tenants are always moving in and out of shops, freeing up space.”

He added: “It’s all about speed for our company. We have Halloween fancy dress shops, too, and we’re in discussions to acquire a site in Manchester for this October. That’s still not finalised yet but demonstrates how well we do in adapting quickly to availability of space.”

For the first time the Calendar Club will be making its way to the intu Trafford Centre this year, due to start trading in early October.

He said: “We’re doing well in Manchester and Liverpool and have just agreed a site in Liverpool Shopping Park which we’ve never done before, but the Arndale is where we are most successful.”

Pike was speaking at the Revo retail property conference which took place in Liverpool this week with 2,700 delegates and 100 exhibitors.