Improvements to Derry’s Richmond Centre Help to Pull in Shoppers

-Positive start to new year – centre 100% let and further improvements underway-

January 2017 - Derry’s Richmond centre has reported a great start to the New Year with visitor numbers over the Christmas period up on last year and sale shoppers set to continue the upward trend.

According to the Richmond centre manager, Bobby Nicholson. “More people visited the Richmond centre for their Christmas shopping this year than last year, and it does not look as if the numbers will stop rising from last year.  Footfall was particularly strong in the first week of the post -Christmas sales.”

“Factor in the strength of the Euro to the Pound, traders offering competitive prices, lots of fun festive events in the centre, and improved malls with better lighting and a modern look, has made it our busiest Christmas and New Year.” added Bobby.

In the week leading up to Christmas Day, the number of shopping visits to the Richmond Centre jumped to over 200,000,  - up 23 per cent on the week before and also up on the same period last year.

David van der Lande of Vixcroft, the centre owner and asset manager, said; “We are focusing on making the centre better by improving the lighting, the mall areas and the entrance.  The first phase was completed before Christmas and the second phase will commence on the new entrance this week.” 

The refurbishment is part of centre owner Vixcroft’s, ongoing mall improvements and its wider strategy to create a modern centre that will appeal to shoppers and visitors to Derry.  Work on the new entrance will not disrupt shoppers as all work will be carried out when the centre is closed at night.  The work should be completed by the beginning of March.

Since purchasing the centre in January 2015, Vixcroft has improved the centre by attracting new tenants, re positioned retailers in the centre, commenced  the Richmond centre’s first refurbishment programme in 30 years to make the centre a bright and airy place to visit.  It is also the first time in the centre’s existence that it has been fully let with no vacant units.

“When we bought the centre, we promised to make improvements.  In the last twelve months alone we have completed 12 lettings, with new retailers joining us -  Clockwork Orange, Yours Clothing and Warren James Jewellers, ensuring that there is a good mix of tenants.  And now for the first time in its existence the Richmond centre is 100% let.”  added Vixcroft’s head of lettings, Tony Kulp