Over the coming months, new signage will be rolled out across the site as the look and feel of the scheme evolves to rival other major shopping destinations. The new brand has been created to reflect the centre’s positioning as the perfect alternative to shopping in the city, with convenient transport links between the North and South of Ireland.
Since Lotus Group acquired the centre in 2016, the stores have seen a total investment of over £8m. The outlet shopping destination has also enjoyed a rise in footfall of 20% since April 2016 and an increase in sales of 26% in the last 2 years.
Within the past 6 months, a modern new mall covering has been installed to provide a sheltered walkway for shoppers, created from a material similar to that used at the Eden Project in Cornwall, Beijing’s National Aquatics Centre and FC Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena. A new guest services area was also developed in recent months, placing a key focus on customer service.
The shopping destination has introduced a number of key new brands over the past year, including ProCook, Jack and Jones, Ulster Weavers and The Beauty Outlet. The new stores have joined a significant selection of other well-loved brands situated within the centre, including Nike, Timberland, Calvin Klein, L.K. Bennett, Paul Costelloe and Jaeger.
Chris Nelmes, centre manager, The OUTLET, said:
“The launch of The Boulevard signifies a real turning point for the centre. We feel that we now have a much stronger brand identity that reflects everything that we have to offer to both local and international customers.
“We can’t wait for people to come down and experience the new look and feel of the centre for themselves throughout a series of events starting 24thMarch, which will officially mark the arrival of this new era in the shopping centre’s history.
“We are continually working on attracting further brands that shoppers want, and consumers can expect to see more exciting developments in the pipeline this year.”
Alastair Coulson, asset and property management director of The Lotus Group, said:
“We have been working over the past two years to enhance the shopping experience for customers visiting The OUTLET site. We’re confident that the relaunch, along with various other improvements already made to the centre will provide Banbridge and the surrounding area with a real boost.
“We plan to build upon the success of improvements already made to the site throughout the course of 2018 and we are confident that our new brand will not only give us a competitive edge but will encourage new high-profile tenants to set up shop.”
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