SHOPPING BOOST AS VISITORS FLOCK TO THE GALLERIES IN WASHINGTON

The start of the summer holidays gave the Galleries in Washington a retail boost after the centre welcomed almost 25% more shoppers in July compared to the same month last year.

LCP Group, the national commercial property and investment company that owns Galleries, has revealed that 1.88 million people visited the centre compared to about 1.5 million in July 2022.

Simon Eatough, Director for Landlord and Tenant at LCP, said: “The Galleries has always been a popular shopping destination as it is at the heart of the Washington community. Anchored by Asda and Sainsbury’s, with a host of high street names and independent retailers, we have seen shopper numbers continue to increase this year.

“The summer holiday period has meant the retailers at Galleries have enjoyed a further seasonal boost, which is great news.

“We’ve been working really hard to attract new brands to the centre and have seen the likes of national names such as Trespass, Klass and recently One Beyond open their doors alongside numerous local businesses, which add to the diverse mix on site.

“It’s testament to the expert team, who not only really understand retail, but really think about which brands would work in a specific location.

“We have further exciting plans that we know will make Galleries an even more attractive destination for local shoppers.”

The Galleries has more than 100 retailers and services over 535,000 sq ft, is anchored by Asda and Sainsbury’s and has an annual footfall of 10.5 million.

It also has 2,500 free car parking spaces and a dedicated bus station.