London Designer Outlet (LDO) in Wembley Park ended the year on a high as price-conscious bargain hunters boosted revenues to make the December trading period the best one on record for the outlet centre. The record-breaking month boosted trading performance across the entire Golden Quarter, which exceeded pre-pandemic levels according to the latest sales data.
December sales at the capital’s leading fashion and lifestyle outlet centre reached £10,464,749 – a 2.6 per cent increase from the same month in 2019, and +32% on 2021. Trading in between Christmas and the New Year was particularly strong as shoppers took advantage of additional discounts, with sales increasing by 49.5 per cent compared to 2021 and by 3.6 per cent compared to pre-pandemic (2019).
LDO’s positive results demonstrate the appeal of outlets as the cost-of-living crisis takes hold and shoppers look for ways to save money on discretionary purchases, with LDO offering year-round savings of up to 70 per cent off RRP, and at up to 85 per cent off during seasonal sale periods including the Boxing Day sales.
The strongest day of trading was Boxing Day, with an increase of 89 per cent compared to Boxing Day the previous year, which was LDO’s second-best ever – only surpassed by 2018 when performance was boosted by the North London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham at the neighbouring Wembley Stadium.
Several of LDO’s flagship brands, including Levi’s, Puma, New Balance and Kurt Geiger, also experienced record trading days on Boxing Day.
Revenue was boosted by larger and more expensive purchases throughout the month, as well as the addition of new and bigger brands throughout the year, with the Average Transaction Value (ATV) increasing by 17 per cent compared to pre-pandemic.
Matt Slade, Retail Director at Quintain, said that it was encouraging to see strong sales figures despite external factors such as the rail strikes.
“This has been a record-breaking December in more ways than one, demonstrating the significance of outlet centres as consumers tighten their purse strings amidst the cost-of-living crisis.
“It is encouraging to see that both the month of December as a whole and the period in between Christmas and New Year are the strongest on record, despite a slew of national rail strikes during the Christmas period. It is clear that people are increasingly seeking out greater value to save money on their Christmas shopping.”
Further to the record-breaking trading at LDO, performance across the wider Wembley Park neighbourhood was also excellent, with both The Troubadour Theatre and BOXPARK selling out events throughout the Christmas and New Year period.
London Designer Outlet sits at the heart of Wembley Park. Minutes from central London, it is the capital’s best-connected outlet centre and is easily reached by three tube lines, two train lines, eight bus routes, plus ample car parking.
The outlet offers aspirational and desirable brands such as flagship concepts from adidas, Nike, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, alongside Kurt Geiger, Moss Bros and The North Face.
London Designer Outlet is one of only a few outlet centres in Europe that blends retail, F&B, leisure and events in an easy-to-reach urban setting. The centre, managed by Realm – the UK’s specialist outlet operator – provides 265,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space, including 70 outlet stores, restaurants and coffee shops.
