LIVERPOOL One, the city’s £1bn retail centre, has dropped a place in the UK ranking of shopping centres.
But its drop from 15th to 16th is due to London’s Westfield Stratford City, on the Olympic Park, “coming from nowhere” to claim top slot, said Trevor Wood, author of the annual ‘Going Shopping – The Definitive Guide’ rankings which have been published since 1998.
He said: “Liverpool One has maintained its score from last year. Stratford has come from nowhere and moved everyone down by one place – other centres have moved down by up to three places.”
The overall points tally used to score 500 shopping centres are based on factors like weekly footfall, the size of a scheme, tenants’ turnover, and transport links.
Mr Wood said: “When it’s blowing a gale, Liverpool One is not exactly the best place to be, whereas the Metquarter, although smaller, probably is because it is enclosed. If Liverpool One were enclosed, it would score more points.
“However, Liverpool One has marvellous car parking facilities, a bus station, and is in the city centre, and all that is added together.”
Liverpool One’s progress is emphasised by its ranking in 2008 when the first phase of the centre opened, placing it in 79th slot in UK centres.
A Liverpool One spokeswoman said: “These latest figures compiled by Trevor Wood Associates reflect the research of just one organisation and Liverpool One’s top 10 ranking with industry bodies such as Experian and CACI remains consistent. Liverpool One is now 100% let.”
The latest rankings also show the New Mersey Shopping Park in Speke in the top five UK shopping parks, and Ellesmere Port’s Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet top of the UK table for factory outlet schemes.
Manchester’s Trafford Centre and Arndale Centre both dropped one place, to sixth and ninth, respectively.
