Retail Destination looks at Edmonton Green Shopping Centre’s approach to commercialisation
The success of a retail destination can often be down to the sum of its parts, and so making sure every aspect of the day-to-day workings of a mall is running smoothly is a priority for management teams. This encompasses everything from the mix of brands and tenant engagement to customer service and commercialisation
In October 2020, Ashdown Phillips and Partners were appointed at Edmonton Green Shopping Centre in North London to bring commercial management inhouse and have since reported a ‘phenomenal turn around in such a short period of time’. The management team are vocal in championing their strong offering, happy customers and large income – so what is their secret?
Anthony Springle, surveying director at Ashdown Phillips, says that despite the vibrant mix of tenants, both local and national, alongside the eclectic community within Edmonton Green Shopping Centre there was always something missing. He says the team identified that embracing the community, its roots, and the lives and backgrounds of its people needed to be addressed, which is exactly what the property management company, have been striving towards in recent years.
In just over a year, the centre’s income has increased by 10% and tenant satisfaction has increased with positive responses up by 40% as of January 2022. Bookings within the centre’s west mall are at 100% capacity with a waiting list in place, and the team are seeing an additional 15-20 onsite enquiries per month
Springle says the key to all of this success is down to Ashdown Phillips having placed an in house team within the Centre, who he says all have a real passion for the centre and are the driving force in championing the community and its needs – so much so that the team won a Covid-19 Response Award in the supporting the community category at the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management Awards for their initiatives in supporting the community at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It has been a tremendous team effort to ensure a smooth and successful transition to inhouse commercial management,” he says. “The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, especially from the aspect of having a dedicated onsite point of contact.”
He says the aim is to continue in this vein and really embrace the community and all that it has to offer: “Edmonton Green Shopping Centre is just at the start of a new forward thinking and fresh vibe focused not only on retail but what is best for the community too. It is the perfect mix.
“The team are constantly reviewing their onsite management services to ensure they deliver the highest quality service while offering the best value to their clients. They are proud to be a community focused shopping centre and always will be. They are Edmonton Green.”
This was first published in Retail Destination Fortnightly. Click here to subscribe.
