Eastgate Shopping Centre in Inverness has undergone a significant transformation, with £8.5m invested in enhancements over the past two years from landlords and tenants.
The centre has welcomed Sugar in the City, Maemes and Lovisa, while Pandora has upsized and relocated to a new unit opposite HMV, and RBS has moved to its flagship unit on Falcon Square. There will also soon be an upsize and relocation for Hotel Chocolat, with the retailer taking a combination of the old RBS and current Hotel Chocolat units.
Alongside considerable investment from the landlords, many tenants have similarly invested in their units, with shop refits undertaken by Chisholm Hunter, Vision Express, H.Samuel, Costa and Pizza Express, with Timpson’s and Starbucks also planning refits in the next few months.
On the back of this positive activity a further set of retailers have recently re-committed to Eastgate, including HMV, Card Factory, Body Shop, Clintons, Next and Quiz.
There was also the recent opening of Scran Café & Kitchen in the food court. This transformation by the landlords, in conjunction with Cru Holdings, has proven popular, setting a new benchmark for street food and drinks offerings in the city.
Eastgate has also benefited from further investment, both in upgraded car parking technology and in a switch to LED lighting to support Eastgate’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint.
Mark Hewett, director at Scoop Asset Management, said: “This programme of investment highlights the scale of our ambition for Eastgate and our confidence in Inverness as a vibrant retail and community destination. These upgrades not only improve the overall experience for shoppers, which is reflected in increased footfall in 2023/2024, but also the strength of our relationships with retailers and the commitment to continual improvement across the centre.”
