10:12am Friday 12th March 2010
By Neil Phillips
AS Eden celebrates its second birthday this weekend, its centre director spoke to the Bucks Free Press about the challenges and successes of the last 12 months.
Hundreds of excited shoppers lined the High Wycombe streets to witness a spectacular fireworks and dancing display to mark the official opening of the £300m centre on Thursday, March 13, 2008.
Two years on, centre director Daniel Tomkinson believes the shopping and leisure centre has helped Wycombe weather the ravages of the recession and he is looking forward to a successful year three.
Daniel Tomkinson, centre director, said: “Eden’s second year has been challenging and rewarding. The economic challenges have had their effect but trade has grown year on year.”
And two years on Mr Tomkinson says the centre has more than lived to his expectations.
He said: “It’s exceeded them quite convincingly. No one foresaw what was going on economically.
“I think being new being exciting, having such a strong offer has enabled us to tackle the recession.”
And given these trying times. Mr Tomkinson said he was pleased at the number of new shop to start trading at the centre, including Lush, Ann Summers, Rush, Kaos, Gymboree, Muffin Break, Cargo, Apple Snow and Subway.
He said: “Last year has been quite remarkable from a lettings perspective.
“We’ve had over a dozen new shops open.”
Since the 675,000 square foot Eden centre opened the town has jumped from 104th position into the top 50 UK shopping destinations in the CACI ratings – a shift that had made the town more attractive to the retail sector.
He said: “Quite a few retailers consider High Wycombe where they didn’t previously.”
The long-vacant unit once occupied by Zavvi has recently been handed back to Eden by the music chain’s administrator, and already it has been snapped up. Mr Tomkinson said a deal has this week been done with clothing chain Blue Inc.
Footfall had reached 14.5 million for 2009, which Mr Tomkinson called a “positive trend” on the 2008, when the centre had not been trading for a full 12 months.
But he said going into year three the centre would not become complacent.
He said: “We’ve noticed how the recession has hit customers and their discretionary spend.
“We have to work harder to compete and serve – to give better customer selection and good value.
“But it’s fair to say in doing that we have delivered a pretty robust performance for 2009.”
A high point of the year for Mr Tomkinson was one of the centre’s numerous events. “The fashion show in September was amazing in terms of showmanship and experience. I’m really looking forward to this years’.
But for Eden, he added, the bleakest period was ushered in by the weather as the centre fought to keep its doors open.
He said: “I’m looking forward to a few months without snow. There was a real challenge that came with that -I was really amazed by everyone’s efforts with the snow.
“It was a huge amount of work to keep streets clear and Eden open.”
“Hopefully we won’t have quite such a situation this year.”
But he added year three would be about maintaining and continuing Eden’s drive to develop both itself and its home town.
He said: “We want to continue growing the offer, to get the latest fashions and best offer from shops and customers.
“We’re also looking forward to continue the great work that gets done by High Wycombe Town Centre Partnership.
“We’re striving to take Wycombe forward in the future.”
What do you think about the Eden shopping centre? Has it improved the town centre? Leave your comments below or email bfpnews@london.newsquest.co.uk
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