Bury soars up national shopping league

Bury town centre has shot up a national league of retail destinations and broken into the UK’s premier top 100.

The town has climbed 77 places in the survey from 174 to 97, which is the second highest rise in the UK, second only to Westfield’s Stratford shopping centre at the Olympic Park in London. Bury is now third ranked in Greater Manchester, up three places.

This meteoric rise has been revealed by research undertaken by industry experts the Javelin Group which shows that, despite a period of limited development in the country, there have been some significant movers in the retail rankings since 2010.

Bury's elevation up the rankings has been helped by The Rock development which opened in July 2010. This £350 million town centre development resulted in a significant increase in retail floorspace for the town centre and the introduction of more flagship high street retailers.

Councillor Mike Connolly, leader of Bury Council, said: “This is incredible news – to have the second biggest increase in the country, behind the Olympic Park project, is fabulous and recognition of just how popular Bury is becoming as a premier retail and leisure destination.

“It is even more noteworthy that this has been achieved during the most serious economic downturn for decades.

“As well as The Rock development, the town is home to the Mill Gate centre, our award-winning Bury Market, and there are further development opportunities in the Phoenix Quarter at Irwell Street and our new Chamberhall Business Park.

“When you add in recent health, office and hotel developments at Knowsley Place, the new national Fusilier Museum and the Transport Museum, plus the £7m Venture Centre at Bury College, it all adds up to a package which brings welcome investment, jobs and visitors and shows what a good place Bury is to live, work, study and visit.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 13 May 2013.

Picture attached: The Rock.