Altrincham presents the biggest opportunity for luxury and premium retailers in the whole of the North, a new report has shown.
The town is the only one in Northern England to be included in the top 10 premium opportunity ranking, compiled for Property Week by data specialists CACI.
The report considered the relationship between the demographic profile of a place and the number of premium brands – retailers like John Lewis, Apple, Gucci and Reiss – in that area.
Using sophisticated profiling technology, it found that while 64% of the catchment area around Altrincham were considered to be “affluent achievers” – the highest level – only 20% of the brands within that area were premium.
“There’s clearly an opportunity in Altrincham for those more upmarket brands,” said John Platt, Principal Consultant at CACI, who compiled the report.
“Based on the affluence of the catchment zone, the town could support a stronger retail offer. At the moment people are having to go to Manchester or the Trafford Centre, where there is a stronger premium offer.”
Of the other places included in the top 10, seven were in the South – Woking, Horsham, Crawley, High Wycombe, Camberley, Bishop’s Stortford and Chelmsford – one in the Midlands (Derby) and one in Scotland (Dundee).
By contrast with Altrincham, places like Welwyn Garden City and Windsor had a less affluent catchment (around the 40/50% mark) but a much more premium retail offer (again around the 40/50% mark).
One source of more premium retailers could be the much-delayed Altair scheme, which is set to create bigger and more modern units of the kind favoured by premium brands.
Cllr Michael Young, Trafford Council’s executive member for economic growth and planning, said the report’s findings were evidence of the “transformation” of Altrincham.
He said: “The transformation of Altrincham town centre over recent times could not have been achieved without not only the Council’s investment, but equally importantly the true commitment there has been to working in partnership. The input and influence of local businesses, partners and other key people all wanting to work together to bring about real sustainable improvements is now paying dividends.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank those involved in the public/private Altrincham Forward partnership for all their efforts. I know that the strength of belief in the town centre and determination to continue working together to bring about further improvements and opportunities will continue to stand Altrincham in good stead.”
