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Blackburn Mall footfall success

3:00pm Sunday 12th February 2012 in News

MORE shoppers have visited Blackburn town centre’s shopping arcade so far this year than last.

According to new figures revealed by bosses of The Mall, footfall is once again on the up compared to last year.

They show that footfall has increased by 11.3 per cent last month compared to January 2011.

The busiest week of January showed a surge of a 14 per cent. Figures werev also up for the sales over Christmas.

Mall’s bosses said that was due to shoppers taking advantage of the post-Christmas bargains.

They said the figures also revealed that just four per cent of shops in the site were empty and described the situations as ‘exceptionally positive’ given current national retailing conditions.

Shopping centre managers said high-profile household name shops such as Primark, Costa Coffee, H&M and Next, had attracted people to the town.

And added that new store openings, joint retailer promotions, special events and the new 70,000sqft £8million Blackburn Market had helped boost numbers and generate interest.

Blackburn Market was given an added boost when it was named Best Indoor Market by The National Association of British Market Authorities last month.

Loraine Jones, general manager at The Mall Blackburn, said: “We have enjoyed a wonderful start to 2012 despite the economic unease and bleak national retail picture.

“Blackburn Market, which is based in the lower level of The Mall, has also helped to pull in the crowds and was, quite rightly, named Best Indoor Market by The National Association of British Market Authorities earlier this year.

“The team at The Mall have worked tirelessly to continue to introduce household names and independent retailers to offer the people of Blackburn and beyond a fantastic shopping experience.”

Phil Ainsworth, Blackburn town centre jeweller Phil Ainsworth, of A Ainsworths and Sons, Darwen Street, and a member of the town centre partnership, said: “The Mall is extremely popular but we have to look at supporting other areas in the town centre so shoppers don’t just stick to the main newly regenerated mall area.

“We have a number of empty units and hopefully people will be encouraged to open other shops in the town centre.”

Comments(20)

burner says...
3:46pm Sun 12 Feb 12

That's good, but I would love to see comparative sales' figures. Bet they tell a different story.

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Dusty Snatchmonger says...
4:30pm Sun 12 Feb 12

revealed by bosses of The Mall, so it MUST be correct.

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M.DANNY says...
4:43pm Sun 12 Feb 12

It's great news more people are coming back to town centre,Mall needs to attract more stores like miss selfridge,waterstone
,disney stores,international
e,footlocker,ted baker,zara,monsoon,j
ack&jones,beaverbroo
ks and many more.The town centre needs more eating outlets like,burger king,pizza hut,starbucks,krispi
e kreme,nandos ,harry ramsden,pubs and restaurants and clubs.The retail park in Whitebirk needs to be expanded to attract likes of Ikea,DFS,Toys R US ,Wilkinsons,Homebarg
ains,Homebase and more foodoutlets.The town needs a four star hotel/conference centre .People are still travelling to Preston,Bolton and Trafford centre because lack of retail stores in Blackburn and Blackburn need to catch up with Preston and Bolton.Blackburn is still a lot behind the other places in retail and leisure industries.

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burner says...
4:57pm Sun 12 Feb 12

Got the impression from a recent BBC North West Regional News programme that many town centres are contracting - some REALLY struggling. Blackburn was noticably NOT mentioned in that list of "failing" centres. Footfall and shop take-up are different animals from increased sales, though.

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Dusty Snatchmonger says...
5:02pm Sun 12 Feb 12

M.DANNY wrote:
It's great news more people are coming back to town centre,Mall needs to attract more stores like miss selfridge,waterstone ,disney stores,international e,footlocker,ted baker,zara,monsoon,j ack&jones,beaver
broo ks and many more.The town centre needs more eating outlets like,burger king,pizza hut,starbucks,krispi e kreme,nandos ,harry ramsden,pubs and restaurants and clubs.The retail park in Whitebirk needs to be expanded to attract likes of Ikea,DFS,Toys R US ,Wilkinsons,Homebarg ains,Homebase and more foodoutlets.The town needs a four star hotel/conference centre .People are still travelling to Preston,Bolton and Trafford centre because lack of retail stores in Blackburn and Blackburn need to catch up with Preston and Bolton.Blackburn is still a lot behind the other places in retail and leisure industries.
Blackburn also needs more folk like you, who have a wonderful grasp of English grammar.

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karltop says...
5:15pm Sun 12 Feb 12

So, more "students" keeping warm, wandering around the mall at lunchtime. That's the real reason for those "super" figures. As far as so -called high-profile shops bringing people into the town, - H+M is absolutely dead no matter what time you visit. to name but one.
As for the market winning the best indoor market award, the standard must have been very low.

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modan says...
5:39pm Sun 12 Feb 12

Not many people of Blackburn are visiting the town centre anymore,many folks around Blackburn are travelling to Preston,Bolton and Trafford Centre.People of Feniscowles,Lammack,
Darwen,Lango,Ribble Valley don't like Blackburn anymore so more people go out of town to do their shopping.There is plenty of money,plenty of folks wear designer clothes and carry blackberrys and iphones.Blackburn just don't attract folks from the outskirsts of town.Preston and Trafford Centre is paved with gold with plenty of designer stores and junk food outlets.

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peely says...
7:17pm Sun 12 Feb 12

They might have increased " footfall " but i bet they certainly haven,t increased spending !! Just a PR headline !!

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Petermariner says...
9:16pm Sun 12 Feb 12

When is the 'UP' escalator from the market level going to be fixed?.... It's got to be under 12 month warranty, at the very least! I'm sure it's over 4 weeks since it last worked! Also, the lift capacity from the market-level is woefully inadequate at peak times. I've now started using the lift round on Ainsworth St. near the bookies and Pawnbrokers (another barometer of the frugal times!) to get back to the car-park levels..... AND... while I'm in whinging mode, Why is a jobsworth posted on the first car-park level, with a bit of a barrier, stopping anybody from going up the new carpark slope at peak times? He tries to force us into the 'furthest away from the shops' car-park as "The new car-park is full, mate" is quoted! Rubbish! I drove round him and went up to level 5 on the new carpark only to find it was empty! Level 4 was only half-full as well. Anybody got any explanations?

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outofyourmind says...
9:44pm Sun 12 Feb 12

The real truth is! the extra people in the town?. Is down to the fact, that more people have to go and see the CAB. Or the Townhall or Jobcenter, and park the car(IF YOU CAN AFFORD TO RUN ONE). On the pay an display an rooftop carparks. (Or try to sort out their morgage). Not the fact that towns better. Its down to plain old economics. And the fact their are a lot of new unemployed around,(more people are broke so they shoplift). Or they just hang around till their crisis lone is ready.(Who dont have transport to go home and back.) Those "stats" thay use are just junk?. I could make killing someone good, If i make the rules that judge me!!. FOOTFALL HIGH? JOKE!.

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Malthus says...
7:32am Mon 13 Feb 12

Of course there were more visitors this January because last January there were still significant amounts of snow on the ground and the freezing weather made it difficult for public transport users and pedestrians. In short, it was too cold stand around waiting for a bus to visit this white elephant. I also agree with other posters who state that an increased footfall does not mean increased expenditure, in fact I suspect it will be less as more people are tightening their belts due to the recession.

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modan says...
10:55am Mon 13 Feb 12

Stores have closed in the Mall from 110 stores in December/January to 102 stores today,So eight stores have already closed down and there might be more yet to be announced ? with further 15% shop units empty in Blackburn town centre,no wonder chamber of commerce wants free parking.Preston has more new stores opening and Blackburn has many closing down.The Mall didn't attract many big names anyway.I go to Preston with my family because of more choices which Blackburn doesn't have.Blackburn is in the same league as Accrington and Burnley not Preston,Bolton and Manchester which is in premier league in retail industries.Many don't like the Blackburn town centre anyway because of lack of choices and not enough eating outlets.Blackburn parking is cheaper than Preston,Bolton and Manchester and there plenty of parking on offer in Blackburn.Blackburn just cannot compete with Preston and Trafford centre.Footfall in Christmas holidays always increases in Blackburn town centre becuase school kids and workers on holidays.It doesn't mean more spending in town as many retailers told the press the business was not that great compared to last three years. Free parking might help town like Blackburn as there is still more regeneration work is going on.

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tenerc says...
1:12pm Mon 13 Feb 12

i went to the market last week, and wasn`t shocked to see more stalls have shut.

so since the new market opened they have lost 1 fish stall, 3 cafe stalls, and 1 butchers.

yet the big fruit and veg stall is doing so well they have rented stalls opposite to store there veg on, or are they just using it for free?

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disgusted tunbridge wells says...
2:05pm Mon 13 Feb 12

When is the old market hall and brewery coming down ?

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Rumpole says...
3:57pm Mon 13 Feb 12

disgusted tunbridge wells wrote:
When is the old market hall and brewery coming down ?
When 'the price is right'.........

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sean_brfc says...
8:21pm Tue 14 Feb 12

All you lot can do is moan. I went to Preston today and have been to Bolton recently and I can say with some conviction that Blackburn town centre is the nicest and tidiest if all three. As for sales figures, perhaps they have fallen, but increased footfall is good in terms of the town's atmosphere and bodes well for the future when (if) the economy starts to move.

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spiceymugs says...
8:29pm Tue 14 Feb 12

tenerc wrote:
i went to the market last week, and wasn`t shocked to see more stalls have shut.

so since the new market opened they have lost 1 fish stall, 3 cafe stalls, and 1 butchers.

yet the big fruit and veg stall is doing so well they have rented stalls opposite to store there veg on, or are they just using it for free?
coarse they are !!!!
it would be rude not 2

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modan says...
9:23pm Tue 14 Feb 12

sean_brfc wrote:
All you lot can do is moan. I went to Preston today and have been to Bolton recently and I can say with some conviction that Blackburn town centre is the nicest and tidiest if all three. As for sales figures, perhaps they have fallen, but increased footfall is good in terms of the town's atmosphere and bodes well for the future when (if) the economy starts to move.
Many stores have closed down in Blackburn.There is still a lot of regeneration works going on,the future of markets need to be redeveloped,the Sainsbury's proposal at Thwaites site would be a good thing for the town,the orbital road is not completed,the Cathedral project is still on the drawing boards,Margo's flats have come to an standstill.I don't think Blackburn town centre is tidiest compared to Preston,the retail is a lot smaller than Preston,the leisure,clubs and pubs industries is nothing compared to Preston.Blackburn don't even have a four star hotel/conference centre like Preston and Bolton.Blackburn has a lot of catching up to do with likes of Preston and Bolton.At this moment Blackburn is only compared to Accrington and Burnley.

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venom says...
1:20pm Wed 15 Feb 12

The centre is a joke the road system is awful to the centre. The stores are mediocre at best. Second rate I am afraid Manchester Preston are easier to get to. Shut down the Mall for me I hate the place.

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M.DANNY says...
10:18pm Wed 15 Feb 12

venom wrote:
The centre is a joke the road system is awful to the centre. The stores are mediocre at best. Second rate I am afraid Manchester Preston are easier to get to. Shut down the Mall for me I hate the place.
Blackburn is only a small town with population of 105,000 and is going through some regeneration works for the last fithteen years.Blackburn one large shopping Mall is the largest in Lancashire.The Mall has Debenhams,Next,New Looks,Top Man/Topshop,BHS,H&M,
USC,and many more ,hardly mediocre ? The roads to the Mall is not awful try Preston you just go around like a circle.Blackburn has done well in the last fithteen years of regeneration,the Orbital road nearly completed,the University centre,the new health centre,the regeneration of Darwen Street,King William Street,King Street,Northgate and Church Street all looks a lot better now than ten years ago. Blackburn has a lot of regeneration works needs to be done,it's not over yet,the old market sites needs to be redeveloped,the Cathedral projects,the Margo's flats and if the Sainsbury's proposal goes ahead at the Thwaites sites then the town centre regeneration works in the next five years or so would bode well for the future of Blackburn.Blackburn might be behind likes of Preston and Manchester in retail and leisure industries .In the last ten years or so the regeneration around the town centre brought more investments more stores in retail parks,restaurants,Vu
e cinema/Bowling complex,the Soccer Dome,M65 Motorway hotels etc etc.Has Preston got King George's Hall,Premiership Football,Soccer Dome, fantastic new Super Hospital,brand new Health Centre,curry mile in Whalley Range,Cathedral,fant
astic new college and University Centre,new Wainwright Bridge and many more.Move to Preston or Manchester if you hate Blackburn ?

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