Eldon Square bucks retail downturn

A Newcastle shopping and leisure destination has outperformed national retail benchmarks after recording strong growth in footfall and sales during a challenging trading year.

Eldon Square welcomed 26.4 million visitors in 2025, achieving a 1.7 per cent year-on-year rise in footfall against a national decline of 0.8 per cent. 

The centre’s fourth quarter proved particularly robust, with footfall up 5.9 per cent and a bumper festive period delivering 5.6 million visits across November and December.

Total sales increased by 4.3 per cent year-on-year, significantly ahead of the British Retail Consortium’s in-store non-food benchmark of 0.9 per cent. 

December sales rose 4 per cent, while the wider market recorded a fall. During the key Christmas reporting window, Eldon Square posted 4.9 per cent growth compared with a 5.1 per cent national decline for shopping centres.

Helen Cowie, centre director at Eldon Square, said: “The strength of these results proves that our research and data-led approach is working - driving footfall growth, increasing engagement across our key audiences, and reinforcing Eldon Square’s role at the heart of Newcastle. 

“Alongside an enhanced programme of collaborative partnerships with organisations such as the British Fashion Council, regional education partners including Newcastle College and the Newcastle United Foundation, these achievements demonstrate the continued potential for regional retail and leisure destinations in today’s market.” 

The performance reflects a three-year repositioning strategy focused on leisure and food and beverage. 

New arrivals, including Flight Club and Wingstop, have driven increased engagement, with the Nelson Street entrance seeing double-digit growth in the second half of the year. 

More than 106,000sq ft of new lettings were completed during 2025, alongside substantial renewals.

Looking ahead, the centre is preparing to open Freight Island, a 60,000sq ft rooftop leisure venue, as part of its next phase of transformation in partnership with Newcastle City Council. 

Kitty Vaughan, head of UK food and beverage and leisure at Pradera Lateral, asset manager and development manager for the shopping centre, added: “Leisure is now a central pillar of Eldon Square’s performance, driving sustained footfall growth and longer dwell times. 

“Flight Club played a pivotal role in this success during 2025 and, in 2026, the combined strength of existing operators and the highly anticipated arrival of Freight Island will propel the centre into its next phase of destination-led growth.” 

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