Merrion Centre set for transformational 2017

Wed 04 Jan, 2017

The Merrion Centre, Leeds’s longest-established shopping centre, is set for a bumper year ahead in 2017 as owner Town Centre Securities further enhances the Centre.

The popular Centre’s phased investment programme is now well underway, and will see the introduction of some fantastic new brands to the city in 2017. This will include the 134 bedroom Ibis Styles hotel, Marco Pierre White’s New York Italian, as well as new regional brands The Dockyard bar and restaurant and the arrival of Bengal Brasserie as it opens in its first city centre restaurant.

Further announcements regarding new and exciting businesses that will be setting up home in the Merrion Centre in 2017 will be made shortly.

The redevelopment work at Merrion House including delivery of the council’s new city centre customer service hub, will also continue at pace throughout 2017. The revitalised building is set to be yet another addition to the city’s new Arena Quarter.

The plans for 2017 come following a record-breaking 2016 which saw visitor numbers reach 11.5million, an increase of 3.4% on the previous year.

Helen Green, Associate Director at Town Centre Securities, the owner of the Merrion Centre, said: “We have exciting plans to further enhance our range of services and shops for our new and existing customers. 2016 has seen a record footfall at the Centre and we look forward to the launch of Ibis Styles, Marco’s Italian, the Dockyard and others. These deals will transform the Arena Quarter offer throughout 2017”.

The Merrion Centre welcomed a range of exciting new tenants that gave more choice and diversity to its existing range of quality shops, restaurants and leisure outlets in 2016, including the only official Leeds United Club store in the city centre. The official LUFC store has proved a huge success with players regularly holding signings that have continuously attracted crowds of hundreds of fans. The arrival of family favourite Heron Foods, again the only Heron store in Leeds city centre, has also further increased choice for shoppers.

The Merrion Centre also undertook the biggest Christmas campaign in its history, launching the festivities in mid-November with a high profile event featuring the start of stage, screen and sport. The Christmas fun has continued with the Merrion Centre offering visitors the chance to meet Santa in his unique Christmas bauble grotto, setting up a special North Pole post office and even bringing Santa’s reindeers to the cities children.

Helen Green added: “We are absolutely delighted with the achievements we’ve celebrated this year, and are excited to have so many new shops and leisure outlets recognising what a great place the Merrion Centre is. We constantly strive to bring added value to our customers whether it is Leeds United favourites in store or GBBO winner Nadiya Hussain cooking on the malls. We look forward to continuing to be a key contributor to ensuring Leeds is one of the best shopping experiences in the country as we move into 2017.”