Station retail sales rise for tenth consecutive quarter
Retail sales at the UK’s biggest and busiest stations have grown for the tenth quarter in a row according to figures released by Network Rail.
Like-for-like sales at Network Rail’s 18 managed stations in the period July to September jumped by 6.23% compared to the same period in 2013.
London Waterloo and Liverpool Lime Street were the two best performing stations with sales growth of 18.73% and 14.10% respectively. Meanwhile, Birmingham New Street’s first phase of major redevelopment, which launched in April last year, helped the station to record the third highest like-for-like sales growth at 12.23%.
The results show stations both inside and outside of London continued to record solid gains with Charing Cross, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Manchester all moving forward strongly. Specialist food and gifting brands grew significantly as part of the station retail mix, with like-for-like sales increasing by 18.08% and 14.58%. Sales at pubs and bars climbed by 11.94% compared to the same time last year.
Samantha Turner, Network Rail Property’s head of retail, said: “These results again demonstrate how people are changing the way they shop, eat and travel. Convenience and combined retail and transport hubs are an increasingly high priority for the busy British public and our strategy to create destination stations is delivering for our customers.
“Creating stations that welcome rail passengers and encourage them to spend time in and around our retail units is great for our retailers, and it’s clear that the expanded and improved retail offer at our stations is meeting the needs of today’s passengers and station visitors.”
Network Rail said its retail sales success was driven by a rolling programme of improvements by the company’s property division at its 18 managed stations, which saw £100 million invested to improve retail facilities in 2009-14 and a further £150 million being invested over the 2014-19 period.
Major schemes either planned or underway include work to install a new balcony and expanded retail area at London Euston, the opening of the newly designed Birmingham New Street in September 2015 – which incorporates the new Grand Central shopping centre including the largest John Lewis store outside London – and an upgrade to the Paddington Lawn shopping area at London Paddington.
