Living up to its name, Merry Hill has a lot to be upbeat about. The West Midlands’ major mall that’s one of the UK’s top 10 retail and leisure destinations, is another one celebrating a landmark year of growth.

How so? It’s notched up 49 brands either opening, signing, or reinvesting in the destination. And the growing attraction has enjoyed a 3.9% year-on-year rise in footfall in the last 12 months, mirrored by an increase in sales of 4%, all ahead of a busy Christmas season.
 
Of the 49 deals, 26 were new entrants, taking a combined 295,500 sq ft, and the signing represent a record £30 million of new investment throughout the year.

There was also reinvestment from 23 of its tenants, covering 185,300 sq ft, including significant refurbishments from established brands such as Footasylum, Pandora, and Boots.

“The series of reinvestment highlights Merry Hill’s ability to retain and nurture its existing brands, while also attracting back tenants that had previously exited, reinforcing the centre’s strong and enduring appeal” said owner/operator Sovereign Centros from CBRE”, owner/operator Sovereign Centros from CBRE said .

And the icing on the Christmas cake for them is a Revo’s Gold Award for the best ‘Repurposing and Placemaking Project’ in the UK.

Graeme Jones, executive director at Sovereign Centros/CBRE, added: “2024 has been an extraordinary year for Merry Hill. There is significant momentum as we head into 2025. [Our] ability to attract, support and showcase leading brands whilst delivering an exceptional visitor experience reaffirms its place among the UK’s elite retail and leisure destinations.”