Tide is rising at Whitewater

THE WHITEWATER SHOPPING centre in Newbridge is continuing to strengthen the tenant mix, with seven new retailers opening in recent weeks.

Sean Mulryan’s Ballymore Group is the main owner of the regional centre, which has bucked the trend by recording a 10 per cent increase in footfall over the past year. By contrast, many provincial shopping centres have taken a hammering because of the fall-off in consumer spending and the closure of many stores unable to pay even discounted rents.

The new arrivals in Newbridge bring the overall choice of stores to more than 80, the highest number since the centre opened in 2006.

Irish fashion retailer Pamela Scott and independent fashion house Lipstick have both taken long-term leases of stores extending to 295sq m (3,175sq ft) and 187sq m (2,013sq ft), respectively. Both companies will be paying a base rent as well as 10 per cent of turnover.

The newly rebranded Twenty 1 has also opened in Newbridge following a link-up with fashion group Bestseller. Its range of stock includes fashions from Jack and Jones, Only, Pieces, Vera Moda and Vila.

Contemporary homeware and giftware retailers Gazebo, along with start-up hosiery retailers 2nd Skin, have chosen Whitewater to launch their brands onto the Irish market. They have both taken stores of 327.87sq m (300sq ft) at rents of around €25,000 per annum. In addition, Irish menswear retailer Replay has opened its third store in the centre, while Daisy Donuts and Accessorize complete the new line-up.

Daniel McLaughlin of Bannon, which is a letting agent along with Savills, said the recent lettings had reinforced Whitewater’s position as the top retail destination in the area.