There’s no let up at Metrocentre. Following a record-breaking 2024 in both sales and footfall for the Gateshead shopping centre, asset manager Sovereign Centros/CBRE says 2025 has begun in a similar vein.

“Our performance shows that visitors want to come here; they have access to best-in-class retail, F&B, and leisure, and this is on track to continue as we kickstart 2025 with a healthy pipeline of new leasing activity,” said centre director Ben Cox.

He cited “proactive asset management”, with nearly 300,000 sq ft of deals completed in the last 12 months, helping to drive a 9.2% year-on-year footfall uplift year to date.

Continued visit growth in January came as Metrocentre announces 2024 figures, having welcomed 15.8 million visitors, a 10% increase on 2023. Sales performance also surpassed the previous year by 5.3%, with Sports Fashion and Health & Beauty experiencing the biggest uplift. Beauty alone saw an increase of 8.2%.

It also noted two million visitors came to Metrocentre in December, up 2.9% vs December 2023, and the final week’s footfall outperformed year-on-year by 30%.

The destination introduced 21 new brands to the centre last year, including Sephora, Mango, and Reiss, alongside regional debuts for Sosandar and GO Outdoors. Retailers River Island, Primark, Victoria’s Secret, and Clarks also demonstrated their commitment to the North East centre, as four of the 17 existing tenants that upsized or refurbished stores “to keep the visitor experience fresh and unique”.

A new NHS Community Diagnostic Centre that launched at Metrocentre, as well as a planned £6 million redevelopment being announced for the Green Mall entrance, are “set to enhance the public realm [and] revitalise a key gateway into the centre”, it also noted.