The newest shopping and leisure development in the UK has welcomed the first wave of consumers after opening earlier this week. Trinity Leeds will be the only major retail development introduced to the UK this year and, as such, caused something of a stir in the surrounding area.
By the time Keith Wakefield, leader of Leeds City Council, officially opened the 1,000,000 sq ft complex to the public, hundreds of eager shoppers had queued outside to finally learn which retailers had taken up residence in the glass domed development.
And with staples such as Marks and Spencer, Primark and Mango as well as luxury retailers Armani Exchange and Victoria’s Secret putting down roots in the northern city, it is unlikely that many of the crowd left disappointed or empty handed.
According to developer Land Securities, 90 per cent of the available units were pre-let before the opening, with only a small amount of retail space left available to snap up. Altogether, Trinity Leeds contains over 120 restaurants, stores and bars.
Marketing manager Paul Smith says; “Trinity Leeds promises to constantly offer visitors something new.
“The centre combines shopping with entertainment and events including pop-up shops, performances, art installations and it will even help play host to the very best of the Leeds cultural calendar.”
Unfortunately, the unveiling of Trinity Leeds has come only days after the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Springboard Retail Monitor revealed that footfall in UK shopping centres dropped significantly in February. Conversely, footfall on the high street rose to its highest level since December 2011, indicating that the consumer tide has turned in favour of independent retailers rather than the multiples which so often inhabit large complexes.
However, Andrew Dudley of Land Securities does not appear to be particularly worried about the success of the development as it is something of a leap forward from the traditional shopping centre. Rather than creating a new building in the town centre in which retail units are crowded together, Trinity Leeds has incorporated its design into the existing city layout, simply putting a glass roof over three of the city’s busiest shopping streets and modernising the traditional high street concept.
Integration, then, is the keyword of this £350 million project.
Mr Dudley believes that Trinity Leeds will not only benefit the retailers and restaurant owners housed in the huge development but also the community as a whole.
He says; “We estimate 3,000 jobs will be created in the completed scheme and more than three quarters of those will be new jobs to Leeds.”
Do you think Trinity Leeds will prove to be a successful blend of high street and shopping centre, or should more focus have been placed upon the presence of independent local retailers rather than big name brands when allocating retail space within the complex?
