OVERGATE, DUNDEE DEFIES FALLING RETAIL FOOTFALL TREND

YEAR-ON-YEAR FOOTFALL INCREASE FOR CHRISTMAS 2016 TRADING SEASON

Overgate Shopping Centre in Dundee has recorded a year-on-year increase in footfall for the Christmas trading season, bucking the downward trend affecting high streets across the country.

In the five weeks to January 2, 2017 – which takes Black Friday into account – footfall at Overgate was up by 1.2%. Furthermore, in the week immediately after Christmas, footfall was up a staggering 20.9% year-on-year. From April 2016 to January 2017 visitors to Overgate totalled 9,365,969.

The figures are a contrast to recently released data by footfall monitor firms Springboard and Ipsos which indicated the UK high street struggled with footfall during the festive season.

The positive results at Overgate follow a number of high profile retail openings within the Dundee centre which is located in the heart of the city. Throughout 2016 these included Schuh, Footasylum, Menkind, Smiggle and Little Thistle, as well as unique retail pop up experiences including The Oor Wullie Bucket Trail headquartering its operation within the centre and Tempus, the successful store run independently by students from Dundee and Angus College.

Further new openings in 2016 within Overgate included popular food and beverage operators Frankie & Benny’s and AdoraBubble Tea, both of which continued the momentum created by the opening of Five Guys late 2015. Food and beverage sales for 2016 were up year-on-year 13.7% in October, largely attributable to the opening of Frankie & Benny’s, and up year-on-year 4.9% in November.

Other notable standouts across the year include sales for electrical retailers being up year-on-year every month from April – Dec 2016, with the greatest increase in May at 14%.

Hair and beauty retailer sales were up year-on-year 1.5% in October and 3.5% in November whilst household retailer sales were up year-on-year 4.4% in October.

Overgate gift cards generated sales of £985,000 across 29,355 cards. The average gift card transaction value was £34.

Malcolm Angus, Centre Manager of Overgate commented,

“We are pleased to have recorded these notable successes throughout 2016 and the increase in footfall across the Christmas trading period is particularly encouraging. We pulled out the stops to ensure Christmas at Overgate was an exciting proposition, with this year’s Santa’s Grotto proving hugely popular.”

“The response from our customers on the number of new retailers to have opened within the centre has been equally positive, and interesting collaborations and initiatives with local partners, such as The Oor Wullie Bucket Trail and the students from Dundee and Angus College, all added to Overgate’s appeal as a retail destination with a point of difference.”

“The opening of Frankie & Benny’s in time for the Christmas trading period, augmented by other strong food and beverage offerings such as Five Guys, Debenhams and the expanded Starbucks, as well as others, all added to Overgate’s appeal as an all-round enjoyable shopping experience with an excellent choice of brands.”