Merry Hill welcomed over 330,000 sq ft of new deals in 2023
Merry Hill shopping centre in Dudley completed 65 leasing deals in 2023, covering over 330,000 sq ft of space.
The destination also saw an increase in sales of 7% for the whole year against 2022, whilst December sales were up by 6.5% year-on-year. Footfall also increased during the year, up by 9.4% compared to 2022 and increasing 2% in December, ahead of the national average.
The 65 completed leasing deals represent over 30% of Merry Hill’s units. New retailers at the scheme included the likes of Nike Unite and homeware and stationery specialist KENJI.
Merry Hill’s leisure quarter also saw a number of new arrivals, with the opening of anchor tenant Hollywood Bowl, pan-Asian restaurant Wagamama, and ASK Italian’s first restaurant in three years. Last year also saw the opening of the first Sides fried chicken restaurant outside of London, and a second site for Starbucks at Merry Hill.
As well as the 30 new arrivals, Merry Hill exchanged contracts with four further brands for 2024 openings. These are led by the repurposing of the former Debenhams department store, which will become occupied by lifestyle and technology retailer Harvey Norman and fitness operator XTRAFIT. The two brands will take 57,000 sq ft and over 40,000 sq ft respectively.
Fried chicken restaurant Wingstop and cosmetics retailer Rituals will also open later this year.
The remaining 31 deals completed in 2023 covered a number of lease renewals and regears.
Graeme Jones, director at Sovereign Centros, said: “2023 was yet another successful year for Merry Hill, one in which we further evolved the experience for our visitors by attracting best-in-class operators across our retail, dining, and leisure portfolio. Merry Hill’s strength is exemplified not just in the volume of new leasings, renewals, and regears achieved – having over 30% commit in one year is vindication of the work done in 2023 – but in the quality of the brands we can introduce as the most important regional destination in the West Midlands.
“The results for footfall and sales are telling us this evolved offer is starting to resonate with Merry Hill’s customers, and we will continue to push this ambitious approach for the destination throughout 2024, and beyond.”
JLL, Time Retail Partners, and Font Real Estate represent Merry Hill.