Bluewater, the 1.6m sq ft shopping centre owned by Land Lease, saw sales of its catering brands rise 11% in May against the same month last year, fuelled by the opening of Five Guys there in April.
The catering segment outperformed the overall sales at the Kent-based Bluewater, which grew 8% in May. Sales at clothing stores were 12% higher and there was growth of 23% in sportsware.
Thirty seven new brands committed to Bluewater last year, and a further 25 invested in new store designs. In total, over 180,000 sq ft, or 10%, of Bluewater’s floor area was new or enhanced in 2013.
Robert Goodman, Bluewater’s General Manager, said: “The affect of new additions to Bluewater’s offer, such as Victoria’s Secret, Pink, Adidas HomeCourt and Five Guys, is evident. These new brands, which join the 37 that opened or upsized at Bluewater last year, create additional reasons to visit for guests.
“Combined with our focus on delivering a unique experience and the ability to do so much more in a visit, such as dine al fresco overlooking a lake or play a round of adventure golf, Bluewater continues to be the destination of choice in the south east.
“Looking ahead to the summer, we are already seeing a boost to sales as a consequence of the World Cup, Wimbledon and the Tour de France, with many guests purchasing large format televisions ahead of a summer of sport. This is matched by strong sales of summer fashion as guests prepare for their annual holidays.”
