Legal & General’s newly opened St James scheme drives 60 per cent uplift across town centre
Footfall has risen sharply across Dover town centre as a whole in the three months since the opening of St James Dover, a brand-new retail and leisure development, owned by Legal & General Investment Management, Real Assets (LGIM RA).
According to Springboard Footfall figures, compiled for Dover District Council, footfall in the town centre, excluding St James, has risen by almost +60 per cent. This figure contrasts the end of January, prior to St James opening, with weekly average data since mid-April. This included a week when footfall surged by +77 per cent compared to the start of 2018.
The £53.25m, 157,000-sq ft St James Dover development is located on the A20, the main road leading to the Port of Dover. Top retail brands include anchor stores Next and M&S Foodhall, plus Trespass and Superdrug. It also features a six-screen Cineworld, a 108-bed Travelodge and 24-hours-a-day Anytime Fitness and parking for 445 cars. The scheme is 90 per cent let or in solicitors’ hands, by floor area, with a further 6,800 sq ft in negotiations.
Alex Mountford, Asset Manager at LGIM RA, said: “The overriding vision for St James remains to create a catalyst for the regeneration of the town as a whole, attracting more visitors, better brands and greater choice. We’re a long-term investor in Dover with a vested interest in the future prosperity of the town. By attracting people to visit St James Dover, we can encourage them to explore the whole town centre, benefiting everyone.
Joint leasing agents for St James Dover are JLL and HRH. Additionally, JLL has been appointed as retail property manager.
