Retailers are queuing up for Sanderson Arcade in Morpeth

Oct 26 2009 By Dave Black, The Journal

A FLAGSHIP £32m retail development in a Northumberland market town has bucked the recession as it is now virtually full.

Morpeth’s Sanderson Arcade scheme – which includes a 27-unit, Edwardian-style shopping mall and piazza in the town centre – is 95% occupied after a recent flurry of new lettings.

Four more businesses have signed up to take units in the arcade, and trade alongside leading high street names such as Marks & Spencer, New Look and Waterstone’s. The 250-job project, which started in summer 2008 and will transform the town’s shopping facilities, has thrived despite the deepening economic gloom and has attracted healthy interest from retailers keen to be part of it.

Sanderson Arcade will officially open for business on November 12, with developers Morpeth 11 delighted with the recent spate of new lettings.

The firm took over the project four years ago when a previous developer, Trinity Developments, parted company with landowner Ethel Austin after drawing up a £60m shopping, leisure and housing scheme.

Partners in Morpeth 11 – Dransfield Properties and Ethel Austin Properties – have attracted a number of leading retail names to the development which has also provided Morpeth with a new bus station next to the retail arcade, and includes 22,700 sq ft of office space and car parks. The latest additions to the shopping centre are stationary firm Paperchase, Newcastle-based florist Lilly Rose, accessories and fashion store Lemon and local agents Sam Allan Estates.

Newcastle coffee house Central Bean announced last week that it will be opening a new outlet, replacing Starbucks, which has pulled out following a UK review of new branch openings.

Morpeth 11 managing director Mark Dransfield said: "It has been our strategy from the outset to work with quality local retailers to ensure we get the right mix. This last-minute rush of activity demonstrates the confidence retailers from the region have in Morpeth, and the trading opportunity for other quality regional traders are now limited to the two remaining units.’

"We have taken a comprehensive approach to the development to ensure it fits in well with the existing shops and businesses, and of course public transport and parking."