Shopping centre at 100% occupancy 'bucking trend'

A shopping centre has reached 100% occupancy for the first time since the pandemic and has seen footfall increasing, its manager has said.

More than 193,000 people visited Lion Walk in Colchester in the last week of February, up 12% on the same period the year before.

Centre manager Martin Leatherdale thinks the new city status has helped and that visitors have been travelling from further afield than they used to.

High streets across the UK as a whole have been facing a challenging time, with about 38 shops said to be closing each day last year.

"Where other towns and cities are perhaps struggling, it's actually having a knock-on benefit, it's sending more people to Colchester," Mr Leatherdale said.

"Because of the history and culture, I think Colchester city centre will always have an edge over other places.

"It feels like it is bucking the trend."

He believes being a privately owned shopping centre "keeps things simpler" than a typical city centre with "a variety of different landlords".

The final empty unit has been taken by hot chocolate retailer KNOOPS, which will open its first Essex store there in May.