10 MILLION VISITORS MAKES 2025 A MILESTONE YEAR FOR MERSEYWAY

Merseyway is celebrating a landmark year with footfall topping 10 million – a 40% increase year on year, marking a major milestone for Stockport and underlining the centre’s growing role at the centre of the UK’s largest town centre regeneration.

At a time when many UK shopping centres are facing declining footfall, Merseyway’s performance reflects a fundamental shift in how the centre is being used, not just as a place to shop, but as a destination for culture, community and everyday life.

Retail confidence returns to Stockport

2025 has seen the Stockport shopping centre welcome major retailers including Danish retail chain Sostrene Grene and national retailer Cards Direct, alongside wholefood store The Grape Tree, tailoring business The Zip Yard, independent florist, Sweet Bud and CiC Plastic Shed with further lettings due to be announced in early 2026.

The centre has also successfully renewed or extended the leases of 15 tenants, retaining key brands including Santander, Vodafone, EE, Barrhead Travel, H Samuel and Halifax. These renewals demonstrate yet further confidence from national retailers in both the centre and the town.

Stockroom transforms former retail space into cultural landmark

A defining moment of the year was the launch of Stockroom, the 135,000 sq ft transformation of former retail space has created the town centre’s cultural and creative hub, which has welcomed more than half a million visitors in its first six months. Stockroom brings together a contemporary library, children’s learning space, café, studios and local archives, establishing a vibrant cultural destination with dynamic event spaces designed to inspire creativity and bring people together. It also delivers a year-round programme of mostly free events, ensuring there is always something for everyone.

The impact has been immediate. Residents have borrowed or renewed over 30,000 books and overall book loans rose by 52% compared with Central Library. New membership has surged by 79%, with Stockroom adding 2,418 brand-new borrowers and successfully re-engaging 468 lapsed members, reflecting how the space has reignited local enthusiasm for reading, learning and community activity.

A growing centre for work and business

Stockport Council’s ambitious vision for the town centre has also seen new developments including STOK and the Merseyway Innovation Centre thrive during 2025, with occupancy at 80% and 97% respectively at these schemes which offer ultra-modern, flexible office space in the heart of the centre.

A year round destination for the community

The redevelopment at Merseyway is part of Stockport’s ambitious £1bn regeneration plans, with the centre playing a central role in transforming the town centre into a vibrant and thriving destination for residents, businesses and visitors alike.

The centre’s success has extended well beyond retail, having hosted in excess of 30 different free events throughout the year, driving both footfall and spend and providing the community with a free programme of high quality events throughout the year. Highlights include the centre’s Merseyday of the Dead celebrations for Halloween, its Ohana Summer programme of events and its ever-popular Christmas activities including this year’s Christmas Gingerbread Grotto experience. Merseyway was also a key partner in A Day of Dance in April – the UK’s largest ever gathering of Morris Dancers – and Stockport’s annual Spectacular Sunday last month which attracted more than 50,000 visitors to the town centre. 2026 will see the return of popular events including Merseyday of the Dead, outdoor summer beach Merseybay, a spectacular Christmas event, alongside an event for Chinese New Year and an exciting collaboration with Stockroom in early 2026.

Making a difference locally

Annual charitable initiatives driven by the centre management team including The Uniform Shop and The Giving Tree continue to have a huge impact on the local community. This year, The Uniform Shop sold more than 3,000 pre-loved school uniform items ahead of the new academic year, with hundreds of local families donating and purchasing second-hand pieces for just 50p each. The initiative not only supported households facing rising living costs but also promoted sustainable, circular shopping within the community. The project raised £1,270, which has been reinvested locally and shared equally between Chelwood Foodbank Plus and the Stockport ARC Centre, both of which provide vital support to families across the borough. Meanwhile, this year’s Giving Tree is anticipated to deliver its most successful year to date, providing in excess of £100,000 worth of gifts to less fortunate children across Stockport made possible through the generosity of Merseyway’s shoppers.

National recognition

2025 has also been a standout year for industry recognition with Merseyway winning six prestigious national awards. At the Sceptre Awards, the UK’s leading programme celebrating excellence in shopping centre management, the centre received two major accolades. Merseyway won Regional Community Initiative of the Year for its bottle cap mural created in partnership with Plastic Shed – an ambitious sustainability-led artwork that brought creativity, environmental awareness and community collaboration to the heart of Stockport. The centre also won Car Park of the Year, recognising its transformation of the car park into a unique, user-friendly and engaging space.

Merseyway also secured four Green Apple Awards for its public realm transformation project, receiving national recognition across the Habitat & Diversity, Regeneration, Recycling and Land Regeneration categories. This ambitious green infrastructure project has replaced large expanses of concrete with a thriving, biodiverse environment and has delivered a significant uplift to both the centre and the wider town centre. More than 7,000 new plants have been introduced, alongside newly designed raised beds, additional seating and energy-efficient lighting. Shaded areas now offer temperatures up to five degrees cooler than surrounding paving, creating a more comfortable and sustainable environment for visitors. The project has also enhanced accessibility, with more than 20 new seating area and contributed to increased economic performance with visitors staying an average of 25 minutes longer in the centre.

Victoria Nichol, Merseyway Centre Manager, said: “Having worked at Merseyway for the past seven years, I’ve seen the centre go through some truly exciting redevelopment and growth and reaching over 10 million visitors this year is an extraordinary milestone and a clear reflection of Merseyway’s growing role at the heart of Stockport.

“At the core of everything we do is our commitment to our local Stockport community – making sure everyone who comes through our doors feels welcome, valued and able to engage with what we offer. Throughout 2025, we’ve focused on delivering accessible, free events that celebrate different cultures and bring people together, from an East-West food festival to the largest gathering of Morris dancers in the UK. Inclusivity has been a key priority, with tailored activities designed to support families and visitors with SEN needs and the success of our Giving Tree initiative is testament to the way our local community gives back when they feel connected. This community-first approach has been central to Merseyway’s success and continues to shape our vision for the future.”

Cllr Micheala Meikle, Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration at Stockport Council, said: “These figures show just how far Stockport town centre has come. At a time when many places are struggling, Merseyway is growing, evolving and delivering for residents, visitors and businesses. This success reflects sustained investment, strong partnerships and a clear vision for regeneration, with Merseyway playing a vital role in Stockport’s continued transformation.”