THE Broadway Shopping Centre is celebrating a milestone year after seeing strong footfall, welcoming new tenants, and hosting unforgettable events.
After a “quiet” start to Boxing Day, footfall has been “picking up” and the general manager of The Broadway has reflected on a successful year and is looking forward to what is in store for Bradford in 2024.
With footfall predicted to be up seven per cent for the year compared to the previous year and new retailers, including Goldsmiths, Sakkusamba and Flip Out, the centre is gearing up to have repeat success in 2024.
Ian Ward, general manager at The Broadway Shopping Centre said: “The centre has had a fantastic year.
“There’s been a great deal of interest from retailers wanting to have a presence in the centre so much so that we don’t have many units left to let.
“We’ve also had a great festive period – something we call the golden quarter – while the week leading up to Christmas remained steady, we saw an influx of shoppers over the weekend (23rd and 24th) with people hitting the shops to get those last-minute Christmas presents.
“Boxing Day started off quiet, but it is picking up now with shoppers wanting to make the most of the sales.”
Alongside the centre’s new retailers, it has also hosted some high-profile events including the recent Festive Launch with B*Witched.
During the summer, the centre welcomed special appearances from Barbie and JJ from Cocomelon.
It has also linked in with major 2023 trends and brought new experiences to shoppers.
Mr Ward said: “Next year will be a big year for both the centre and Bradford.
“At the start of 2024, we’ll be announcing the arrival of some exciting retailers, one of which being Primark, and we have a full diary of events scheduled too.”
Other things the city has to look forward to in 2024 include Darley Street Market and Bradford Live opening.
The city centre is also being transformed as part of a multi-million pound project that will see vast swathes of the city centre pedestrianised, the demolition of the NCP car park, and a new entrance to Bradford Interchange.
Mr Ward said: “The Bradford Transforming Cities programme is starting to take shape.
“There will be new bus access along Well Street, located behind The Broadway, giving shoppers direct access to the centre from there.
“The district is also gearing up to get ready for City of Culture in 2025 and Bradford BID is driving forward with a new five-year mandate.”
