GLOUCESTER A NEW RETAIL & LEISURE EXPERIENCE GLOUCESTER • Prime retail location drawing from an affluent catchment • Retail & Leisure investment expected to exceed £400 million • Expanding urban hub with a young and affluent profile • Heritage City attracting 5.9m visitors annually “Gloucester offers retail companies an excellent trading location due to its vibrant, young, affluent and growing population. Debenhams recognised the city’s superb potential by recently investing in a multi-million pound redevelopment of its Gloucester store. The imminent multi-million pound investment in Kings Quarter is another key factor behind our recent investment.” Kevin O’Donovan, Store Manager, Debenhams THE FACTS EXCEPTIONAL CATCHMENT In the last two years, over 300 businesses have chosen • An affluent hinterland - Over 8,400,000 people live to start-up, relocate or expand their existing operations within 90 minutes travel time within the City. The list is impressive and ranges from • Over 58% of the immediate population fall within the small companies to large multinationals. Businesses are ABC1 socio demographic profile attracted to Gloucester for a variety of different reasons: • Higher than average “wealthy executives”, “secure families”, “affluent greys” and “flourishing families” THE RIGHT DEMOGRAPHIC within the City’s core catchment area • A young age demographic - 40% of people under 30 • High levels of disposable income: • Booming student population - 15,200 students Gloucester average £481 providing a great focus for young fashion South West average £460 • A big growth agenda - Significant population growth forecast over the next 20 years RETAIL AND LEISURE • Strong retail spend - £362 million in 2010 • One of the UK’s Top 10 historic destinations. Attractions include Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucester Docks and Gloucester Quays • 5.9million visitor trips annually, spending £207 million Blue Inc was listed in the Sunday Times Fast Track Supplement in 2010 as the ‘Ones to Recognise’. It is one of the fastest growing companies in the UK. They opened their new store in The Eastgate Shopping Centre during November 2011 and created 10 new jobs in the city. “We are delighted to be opening in Gloucester. We are also pleased to be employing a large number of local staff and supporting the local community.” Steven Cohen, Managing Director, Blue Inc “We are delighted to welcome a number of new retail brands into the shopping centre and add to the strong fashion offering in Gloucester. The opening of such retailers will have a positive impact on retail in Gloucester city centre.” Jason Robinson, Centre Manager, Eastgate Shopping Centre BIG INVESTMENT Gloucester’s retail and leisure scene is undergoing major development, including: • Stanhope developers working up proposals for £70m redevelopment of Kings Quarter in the heart of the city centre to create 200,000sq ft of retail space providing excellent opportunities for over 30 new retailers, cafes and restaurants, a cinema and the creation of two new squares • The Peel Group is building on the success of the waterside Designer Outlet Centre by developing a new £60m leisure quarter to include a health and fitness club, 10 screen cinema and 11 restaurants opening in Autumn 2013 • LXB development of the Railway Triangle to include a 71,000sq ft Morrisons supermarket and new retail opportunities • Multi-million pound redevelopment of the Eastgate Shopping Centre and Debenhams • The new Marks & Spencer store will be 2,000 sq ft larger than the existing stores and will offer customers more extensive fashion and lingerie ranges • Private sector investment has exceeded its target, over £500m worth has been secured in the last few years with a further £200m in the pipeline EXCELLENT LOCATION “We’re delighted to be moving to The Eastgate Shopping Centre and in doing Gloucester offers easy access to other urban hubs of so offer our local customers a bigger, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff and London with close proximity to the national motorway network including better M&S for Gloucester. The store will M5, M4 and M50. bring a fantastic shopping environment to the area and we’re counting down the EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE months to unveiling this exciting store to our customers.” Gloucester has top performing education and training provision. There are four non fee paying grammar Natasha Jenkins, Store Manager, schools, the County’s largest new multi-purpose FE Marks & Spencer Gloucester College and the University of Gloucestershire. A CITY AT THE HEART OF A THRIVING COUNTY A combination of easy access to key markets and supply chains, a solid infrastructure, a growing economy, a skilled workforce and an unbeatable quality of life, makes Gloucestershire a first choice location for business. Price Waterhouse Coopers have noted that “together, these assets form an exceptionally powerful base for economic prosperity. Gloucestershire’s future economic prosperity must be seen as amongst the best in the UK”. The City of Gloucester is at its heart. LOCATE IN GLOUCESTER For further information about doing business in Gloucester contact the City Council’s Economic Development Service Tel 01452 396972/86 Email [email protected] Website www.gloucester.gov.uk/business The Catchment Area Number of people living within M1 specified travel times 30min contour - 435,934 60min contour - 2,701,706 M69 Birmingham 90min contour - 8,402,453 M1 M40 M5 Northampton M50 M1 Luton Gloucester Oxford Swansea M40 M4 Reading London Cardiff Bristol Swindon M4 M5 M25 M5 Exeter.