Page 65 - RLI November 2019

DEFYING RETAIL TRENDS AND CHANGING THE FACE OF OUTLET SHOPPING

Lifestyle Outlets is challenging the soullessness of traditional outlet Broadcasting good news: ITV joins Lowry Outlet
shopping, creating a better generation of outlets with forward- At Lifestyle Outlets’ Manchester centre, Lowry Outlet, a £26m regeneration
thinking, innovative people that make great places filled with heart project is underway. The Watergardens is a brand new waterside concept
and soul that shoppers want to return to, time and time again. that will transform the southern waterfront of the outlet and become the
The team has worked hard to redefine expectations of outlet newest and only waterfront dining and leisure destination in the city.
centres, placing a strong focus on experience-led offerings Already home to a state of the art all recliner Vue cinema and fully
with a perfect mix of retail, leisure and entertainment, award- equipped Virgin Active gym, The Watergardens will also comprise of a
winning marketing support and working with tenants in 35,000 sq ft restaurant terrace and the recently announced first-of-its-kind
partnership to maximise footfall opportunities as a result of partnership with broadcasting giant ITV, which is bringing an immersive
large scale events. leisure attraction to the outlet: I’m A Celebrity… Jungle Challenge, based
on the hit reality TV show I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!
Bucking trends
This combination of strong retail, exciting leisure, quality amenities Neighbours you can rely on!
and ongoing entertainment has delivered success for the brands “Lowry Outlet is undergoing significant regeneration, which will allow us
and the retailers that call its schemes home. Bucking the national to boost the events and entertainment we can put on for visitors. The
retail trend, Lifestyle Outlets reported close to double digit year exciting partnership with ITV reinforces our mission to deliver leading retail
on year sales growth and record footfall across its Manchester and and leisure destinations with immersive leisure attractions,” Jason explains.
Gloucester operations of almost 12 million. “It’s a delicate balance of brands that consumers want to engage with
alongside unparalleled experiences. We have incredible neighbours, like
The Flagship Outlet, Gloucester Quays the Lowry Theatre in Manchester, who we work closely with to create
Following £500m of Peel and private sector investment, Gloucester unique events and experiences and increase visitor figures that way too.”
Quays is a location Gloucester can be proud of, merging its historic
roots with a new, modern offering. Part of a major redevelopment Next stop: Glasgow
project on the waterfront, transforming the historic docks, With two operational outlets thriving, Lifestyle Outlets is currently
Gloucester Quays is now the city’s most-popular destination for developing a third outlet on Glasgow’s waterfront. The development,
shopping, leisure, entertainment and urban living. Glasgow Harbour, will be located overlooking the River Clyde, adjacent
Jason Pullen, Managing Director at Lifestyle Outlets, said: “The news to the vibrant West End of the city and with direct access to the metro
agenda is plagued with closures, it’s abundantly clear shopping and and overline railway, overlooking the BBC and SECC site directly
great retail is no longer enough on its own to bring in visitors again adjacent to the Riverside Museum.
and again. We knew we had to be different and create something Jason summarises: “We’re perfecting the formula for flawlessly balanced
that genuinely offered visitors an experience they could really enjoy outlet shopping and bringing it to Scotland. Glasgow Harbour will be a
as well as provide incredible stores and a wide selection of food true day and night destination, attracting new visitors and delivering an
and drink to suit every budget. equally-impressive events schedule. 2021 is going to be a very exciting
The challenge was to create experiences that surpassed visitor year and we’re looking forward to announcing tenants in the near future.”
expectations and delivered entertainment, as well as a beautiful
environment that people and brands wanted to be in. We began
introducing food festivals and VIP nights, we’ve put on shows and
hosted premieres and all of it has led to rising numbers of visitors,
and even attracting a great number from outside the area too. In
the decade Gloucester Quays has been open, footfall has increased
360% to 7 million visitors a year.”

Events that break the mould
Lifestyle Outlets’ imaginative events programme brings the magic
of outlets to life providing a truly welcoming and rewarding
experience through festivals, film premieres, markets, VIP nights and
so much more.
In 2019, Lifestyle Outlets hosted its most successful summer event
to date with a food festival at Gloucester Quays spanning three
days and attracting 116,000 visitors.
Jason said: “Mass events, like our food festival and Christmas
markets, are a perfect opportunity for us to bring in significantly
higher numbers and we use this to encourage brands to get
involved, create pop ups and activations and enhance touch points
with visitors.”
The success at Gloucester Quays has led to the signing of big name
brands, including Adidas, Nike, Cath Kidston, Ted Baker and Barbour,
alongside renowned restaurants, with the likes of Five Guys, Bills,
Cote Brasserie, Nando’s and Wagamama all calling it home.

lifestyleoutlets.co.uk