Dockside Outlet Centre opensThe Dockside Outlet Centre at Chatham Maritime has been open for a few days, and initial results are encouraging despite only 55% of the centre having stores that are open so far. This is hoped to rise to something like 80% by the start of the school summer holidays.
The first day, Wednesday 2nd July, saw some 15,500 people visiting the centre, and retailers reported booming sales. Shoppers told the centre management that they were pleased with what they had seen.
However there have been some less positive reactions from some who have visited the centre. Though this might in part be a lack of understanding what a Factory Outlet can handle, it is almost certainly largely because the centre is not yet fully open.
To be fair, it would have been wrong to expect all the signed-up traders to sit tight until the remaining spaces had been allocated before they were allowed to open, so it will be simply a matter of time before the centre looks fully—or at any rate mostly—occupied. For something brand new like this, not located in an existing shopping area, the opening situation is actually quite good, so it holds promise for the future.
We shall wait and see how the centre fares.