Liverpool ONE reports strongest start to the year since 2018

Grosvenor has reported that 2024 is already expected to top last year’s successes experienced at Liverpool ONE, with a 10% increase in visitor numbers during the first week of January 2024 versus 2023, representing the destination’s strongest start to a year in more than five years.

This solid start to the year follows Liverpool ONE recording its busiest ever Christmas in 2023, as the latest figures reveal sales and visitor numbers hit an all-time high during this period. The destination welcomed more than 3.9 million visitors during the festive period, equating to a 1.9% uplift from 2022 figures.

The success goes against the national picture, for which early analysis shows a 3.5% drop in footfall across the country’s retail hotspots, according to ShopperTrak footfall benchmark data, placing Liverpool ONE ahead of the rest of the UK by five points.

Year-on-year sales also soared by 5.3%, with entertainment, beauty and menswear proving to be among the most popular types of purchase.

The major growth at Liverpool ONE has been attributed to leading brands continuing to choose to invest in the city, while fresh leisure and entertainment offerings have ensured a steady flow of visitors.

Entertainment has come out on top at Liverpool ONE, with this sector seeing a substantial rise in turnover during Christmas, helped by Liverpool ONE’s latest addition Gravity MAX in the former Debenhams unit.

Beauty sales have increased, supported by the arrival of Space NK. Meanwhile, menswear has seen a strong performance in sales supported by the upsize of brands such as BOSS, while food and drink outperformed during the festive period.

Across 2023, Liverpool ONE welcomed 25 brands, totalling 275,000 sq ft. Milestone openings included Gravity MAX and M&S, both of which launched as part of a major asset management initiative by Grosvenor, as well as the opening of Goldsmiths’ largest showroom to date and numerous regional flagship stores, from internationally renowned brands; Swarovski, BOSS, Hollister, Gilly Hicks, Sweaty Betty, Space NK, Swatch, TAG Heuer and Joe & the Juice; and local brands, Red Run and Bean Coffee Roasters.. A further 27 brands also renewed or regeared, equalling 105,000 sq ft of space.

Chris Jukes, Grosvenor’s Director of Liverpool ONE, said: “2023 was a milestone year for Liverpool ONE. Not only did we celebrate our 15 year anniversary and play a role in helping the city to host Eurovision 2023, but from a leasing perspective, we continued to attract retail firsts, international flagship openings, creative pop-ups, and independent and local brands, as evidenced in our results. Liverpool ONE has never been a destination which steps and repeats but we always strive to be big and bold in all that we do. 2024 will be no different as we will continue to innovate, evolve and contribute to the city centre and wider Liverpool City Region.