A Co Down shopping outlet has said it has recorded its best ever August for sales, up 6.7% on the previous year.
The Boulevard, an outlet shopping centre outside Banbridge, said the August bank holiday was particularly lucrative, with 19% more sales and 5% more visitors than the previous year.
It has seen a number of new stores move to the site in recent months, including the first NI outlet of UK menswear brand Ben Sherman.
The Boulevard has further development plans, seeking to turn the western area into a “food and entertainment quarter”. Bowling alley Hollywood Bowl is due to open there next year.
Chris Nelmes, retail director at the Boulevard, said: “This summer has been The Boulevard’s best on record. It is very encouraging to see such a staggering increase in sales and footfall this summer from both sides of the border.
“We invested more than ever in our summer activities this year for the summer of sport and ensured there was an entertaining programme for our customers to enjoy.
“It is a testament to how The Boulevard and its tenants are performing and the hard work that is going into the scheme, that we are consistently seeing an increase in both sales and footfall.”
Paul McCann, asset manager at Lotus Property, which owns the centre, added: “The Boulevard has gone from strength to strength so far this year and this summer has indicated how both the retailer confidence and strong customer loyalty is paramount to the scheme’s success. “The range of new and upcoming stores we have at The Boulevard stands true to the strong customer demographics we have built since acquiring the scheme in 2016, providing retailers with the confidence to invest.”