Swansea is buzzing after the football team clinched promotion to the Premiership – and the feelgood factor has spread to the city’s vibrant Quadrant Shopping Centre.
It’s bucking the recession and attracting over 16 million shoppers annually – that’s the equivalent of filling Swansea’s Liberty Stadium 800 times over and with all the centre’s units full those local shoppers have kept the tills ringing through the recession.
They’ve been ringing through football’s close season as well, particularly at Debenhams where the launch of the Swans’ new home kit went down a storm and another bumper sales day was expected today Thursday (July 14) when the new away kit went on sale at the store.
Nigel Stopher, manager of Debenhams, the Quadrant’s largest retailer, said the football factor was definitely a plus for the Centre: “We had an absolutely phenomenal day when they launched the new home kit on June 6 and we expect more of the same when they away kit comes in this week.
“Everyone’s talking about the football, team and they’ve put a smile on everyone’s face – it really is buzzing here.
“But this is a good place to do business anyway with the new bus station making for ease of access.
“There are also new stores in the Centre and the fact that there are no empty units is also an advantage as is the fact that the place is always spick and span.
“We’ve also seent he weather picking up again and that’s meant a boost for the holiday wear, shorts and T-shirts, but even if it rains and Wales throws it’s best at us we’re under cover here.”
Quadrant Centre Manager Alan Wallace is also a longtime City fan and he said: “We never have units empty for long. The two units which will be returned to us by the council after the bus station work is completed will undoubtedly be more attractive and we have had a number of enquiries and I believe they will be let in a reasonably short time.”
While Swansea City boss Brendan Rogers has been scouring the transfer market to strengthen his squad for the challenge of facing the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, the Quadrant have made their own significant big signing.
It came in May when fashion giants Superdry took over the former Oasis and Fusion stores at the Centre to give themselves a 2,700 sqft ground floor sales area, with upstairs for storage and staff facilities.
Superdry has quickly made itself a fans’ favourite too and Swansea store manager Lucy Littlejohns said: “It has gone exceptionally well since the opening and we’re really pleased with the way it’s taken off here in Swansea.
“We’ve created 12 new jobs and these are jobs offering real prospects for people to progress within the organisation.
“I think Swansea City winning promotion has also given the city a real feelgood factor and that’s transmitting itself into retail.
“People just love it and are talking about the football and I think they’ve been talking about us too and saying they’re really pleased we’re here.
“The other shops are also saying they’re pleased because it’s meant they’re getting more shoppers in as well.”
Julian Dunkerton, CEO of Superdry owners Supergroup Plc said: “This is an exciting time for us. Swansea is a cool city and The Quadrant a busy and attractive retail centre.
“A lot of hard work and creativity have gone into the store’s design and fitting out and I hope that it will be as successful as our others.”
LaSalle Investment Management manages the Quadrant Centre. Victoria Gould, of Jones Lang LaSalle, who act as lease agent for LaSalle Investment Management, said: “The fact that the Quadrant Centre has no empty units and has no problem filling any vacancies shows that we are bucking the trend in retail.
“The opening of the new Superdry store in May shows a real confidence in the outlook for the Quadrant Centre and for Swansea generally.
“Since the new bus station reopened in February there has been a marked improvement in footfall, particularly in that area of the centre.
“The two units which will be returned to us by the council after the bus station work is complete will undoubtedly be more attractive and we have had a number of enquiries and I believe they will be let in a reasonably short time.
“Also market-leaders Experian are arriving to collect and analyse data on the 16 million plus people a year who visit the Quadrant centre.”
Chris Thomas, joint leasing agent at Quadrant, of Bristol-based independent retail property consultants Macarthur Wilson, said: “The Quadrant has been pretty resilient. It’s got good footfall and a good mix of tenants.
“There has been £13 million spent on refurbishing the bus station and that has helped dramatically and the Centre is well-established, it’s got major retailers, good parking and it’s covered.”
