14.09.17
NR station shops enjoy revenue boost higher than other retailers
Total retail at all of Network Rail’s managed stations went up by 5.29% between April and June 2017, new figures released by the organisation have shown.
This compares well to British Retail consortium figures, which have shown an average growth of 2.8% in the wider retail sector for the same period.
The news represents the 21st consecutive quarter of growth for NR’s stations, with the strongest increases coming in stations which have seen considerable recent investment.
Paddington, for example, enjoyed a whopping 40% boost to its retail revenue, while two other stations in the capital, London Bridge and King’s Cross, saw increases of 15% and 14% respectively.
Elsewhere in the country, Birmingham New Street’s revenue went up by 13%, and at Manchester Piccadilly the growth stood at 7%.
“Today’s results show how our ongoing investment in stations is creating places that are destinations in their own right, where people choose to meet, eat, shop and travel,” Hamish Kiernan, commercial director of retail at Network Rail, said.
“Stations like Paddington, King’s Cross and Birmingham New Street have been transformed in recent years and that transformation is leading to better passenger satisfaction and increased sales,” he continued. “Importantly, all profits from our retail activities are reinvested back in to the railway.
“We are looking forward to continuing this trend with the full opening of London Bridge in 2018 as we create 92,000 square feet of new retail space that will provide exceptional food, beverage, fashion, beauty and gift options.”
Around 64 million retail customers, equivalent to almost the entire population of the UK, visited station outlets during the quarter.
Clothing retailers in particular experienced a 33% rise in sales, something the infrastructure owner claims is proof that many consumers are increasingly seeing stations as places not just to shop on-the-go but as actual shopping destinations.
Overall, NR has invested £192.5m in its stations over this three-month period, with like-for-like sales also up by 1.91% between April and June.
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