15.03.18
Network Rail sees more than £200m in retail sales in Q4 2017
Retail sales at Network Rail managed stations grew by 3.5% in the final quarter of 2017, it was revealed today.
Between April and December 2017 over 630 million people travelled through or visited Network Rail managed stations, spending more than £594m in its retail stores.
The organisation’s 17 stations saw sales grow by 3.5% between October and December 2017, compared to the previous year.
This growth is more than three times larger than the wider retail industry, which grew by 1.1% over the same period, but challenging trading conditions led to a small like-for-like sales growth of just 0.08%.
Despite this period of lowest non-food growth figures since March 2009, over 66 million people visited a retail outlet in a Network Rail managed station, spending almost £206m.
Network Rail has said that there was a direct link between its investment in stations and an increase in sales and satisfaction, with four of the top five stations for total sales growth having seen significant recent investment.
Four of the top five stations were in London, but Birmingham New Street, Manchester Piccadilly, Edinburgh and Glasgow also seeing significant sales growth.
Network Rail also reports an increase in customer satisfaction in stations that have seen investment, with recent “significant rises” in Paddington and London Bridge.
David Briggs, managing director of Network Rail Property, said that the figures demonstrate a demand for travel point retail at its stations.
“Despite the flat like-for-like growth this quarter, station users continue to be drawn to the variety and convenience of our offer and the exciting range of retail partners we have is helping our stations become destinations in their own right.
“Network Rail station and retail colleagues will continue to work hard with all the retail occupiers to deliver the varied retail offer that passengers and customers across the country tell us they want in our managed stations,” he added.
Top image: georgeclerk
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