08-08-2003
John Lewis Set To Open At The Trafford Centre

Peel Holdings, owners and developers of The Trafford Centre have today announced plans to open a John Lewis department store in 2005 at Manchester’s £900 million shopping and leisure destination.
The prestigious retailer will be positioned within the 20,438 sq metre Festival Village on two floors with shop fit works set to commence in early 2004.

The department store will provide a full range of merchandise including homeware, furniture, electronics, childrenswear, menswear, sports, fashion, jewellery, perfumery and gifts.

Tenants who are currently based in Festival Village may be relocated to the main Peel Avenue or Regent Crescent malls although many of the leases are due to expire shortly.

Managing Director of The Trafford Centre Mike Butterworth said: “We’re absolutely delighted that the John Lewis Partnership has committed to opening such a prestigious store within the Trafford Centre - it’s a great coup and is exactly the kind of retailer we wanted to attract. To make an announcement like this as we go into our fifth year of trading is a real landmark for us and reflects the great success of the Centre as a shopping and leisure destination”.

“John Lewis is the largest department store group in the UK, and will provide visitors to Manchester with even more choice. It will complement existing stores within the Centre - undoubtedly giving us the strongest retail mix of any shopping destination in the UK which is sure to further boost our visitor numbers which reached 27 million last year”.

Ann Humphries, Director of Retail Development for John Lewis, said, “The Trafford Centre is a fantastic shopping destination and has a unique offer in the area.

“A John Lewis department store in The Trafford Centre will give us an additional presence in the north west and will complement our existing store in Cheadle, which has been trading very successfully since it opened in 1995.”

Cushman & Wakefield Healey & Baker assisted The Trafford Centre with the deal.

for more information please contact:
Alison Tennant
Peel Holdings

Tel: 0161 629 8229

Email: atennant@peel.co.uk