Of course this applies to so much beyond the retail and leisure industry. But focussing thought and effort on what can help us as we move forward, actually presents us with a unique opportunity. Destination teams, landlords and those trading in our city streets and shopping environments will have had time to reflect on what they need and want from their retail and leisure spaces. The same is true of the shopping public, who have also been evaluating what they need when visiting these places. Do both visions of what real-world retail should look like, align? 

In the April issue of RLI, ART’s director Gareth Jordan shared steps to cultivate community and spark a cultural reboot ready for the new retail world.

Read the Retail Insight here

At ART we have been working closely with Landsec over the past 3 years to provide them with performance analysis tools and a community hub to support their retail destinations. This connected environment has been an important feature to assist site staff and brand-partners in navigating what has been a challenging year for most shopping locations.

We caught up with Colin Wilding, Senior Centre Director for insights at Gunwharf Quays, to get his perspective on the situation from the cultural harbour-front location in the heart of Portsmouth, as they head towards a New Year. 

Non-essential retail was raring to re-open for the run up to Christmas, and guests at Gunwharf Quays were welcomed back with the same commitment to safety they experienced during the reopening in the summer, but this time a covered marquee has also been introduced to provide comfort from inclement weather, should guests need to wait for capacity restrictions to ease.  

“The health and safety of our guests and onsite teams remains our priority as we reopen following the second lockdown” Colin says.  “Our team are all supporting our guests with guidance on social distancing and will be available to help answer any questions with regards to the location of retail brands and the centre’s facilities. The centre signage has also been updated to support these important messages.” 

Analytics help designer outlet teams manage, grow community and map recovery, and long before the pandemic Gunwharf Quays has used Retail Advantage to measure multiple metrics and performance. Right now, Colin tells us that for him and his team “data is incredibly important to help ascertain where queues are likely to form and to allow us to pre-plan the flows around the centre. The more dynamic the availability of data is to us the more quickly we can support our guests and our brand-partners to experience a seamless experience.” 

Home to famous brands, Gunwharf Quays’ strong offering of sportswear, homewares and lifestyle, all with up to 60% off regular retail prices, positioned them well for this year’s situation and  trends.  We are yet to see how the great loungewear pivot will trend post-pandemic, but Colin says “we have noticed a strong shift towards casual wear and homewares as more people are – not surprisingly! – spending a greater proportion of their time at home.”  

Collaboration across the retail outlet and leisure destination community is arguably more important than ever, and it benefits the guests, teams and brand-partners. “Regular updates on learnings and sharing new ideas and innovation have become even more important this year. Trends and behaviours have changed rapidly and the need for immediate communication has definitely increased.” 

The pandemic has given the industry a moment to pause, be imaginative, and reflect on past experience.  So, if Colin could offer himself one piece of advice before starting his career in retail, what would it be?

“Listen to others, respect experience and never underestimate the power of a strong team.”

Good words of advice for us all to take into 2021. Forget ‘new normal’, the New Year is a new beginning towards a ‘better normal.’  

Colin Wilding – Senior Centre Director of Gunwharf Quays

Set on a tranquil marina, it is easy to see why Affinity Lancashire is attracting customers to return for its offering from fashion to furnishings with a bit of that much needed feel-good factor.

“Since the reopening we have achieved 70% of footfall and like-for-like sales growth of 14% which reflects the confidence our customers have in us” says Catherine Holmes, whose approach prioritises the safety and wellbeing of customers and visitors.

Following advice from the government and Public Health England, the team has implemented one-way systems, utilised floor graphics, installed hand sanitising stations and information points, removed seating and closed children’s play areas. “These changes are also reflected in each of our stores across the centre to maintain customer safety throughout their whole journey with us.”

Part of that journey, is a return to the simple but necessary comforts offered at destinations like this. “Our customers are looking for some sort of normality, providing it is safe. Whilst many public bathrooms across the UK remain closed, at Affinity Lancashire we understand our customers often travel some distance to visit us and these facilities are important to them, so we are working to keep them open. Customers can use them while maintaining social distancing and they are cleaned hourly.” 

From the customers, to the team and tenants, Catherine says: “the foundation of any relationship starts with trust.”

“For team members, we take the time to set individual goals which are tailored to their skillset and support them in achieving these through coaching and development, allowing the individuals and the centre to flourish as a result. It’s equally as important to forge relationships with our occupiers from store managers through to regional and head office. As a centre team, we must understand our occupiers, their business model and their objectives to ensure we can help their business grow.”

Analytics help centre teams manage, grow community and map recovery, and long before the pandemic Affinity Lancashire has used Retail Advantage to track sales performance. “At a local level, this helps us make strategic decisions and determines how we operate. The data, for example, is used to review sales performance and densities to compare categories geographically across the centre, allowing for identification of areas which would benefit from additional footfall. This in turn can be utilised to turn these quieter areas into hubs of activity through innovative use of space such as soft play, picnic areas and events. We are now adapting these areas to be COVID Secure to maintain the customer journey and experience as restrictions are lifted.”

So, what advice would Catherine give herself before starting her career in retail?

“Staying team focused is the key to any business success, you need a diverse skill-set to run a retail outlet which needs to work for an entire community. I take pride in what we’ve built at Affinity Lancashire and all the team genuinely want our customers to have the best experience. I like to remind myself that going the extra mile for a customer means different things to different people – whether it’s helping a customer who’s car has broken down or assisting a family who have lost a child’s toy. It is the kind of service which creates a legacy for years to come.”

Catherine Holmes – Centre Manager at Affinity Lancashire

“Winning is about struggle and effort and optimism, and never, ever, ever giving up.” – Amby Burfoot

Retail is often a great showcase for effort, even though it has faced more than its fair share of pessimistic news stories. The retail industry has moved to change the rules that defined it for a century, so despite this current severe struggle, it will never give up.

Customers tethered to their tech devices are looking to the finish line too. Even whilst safety remains front of mind, a mix of services that customers have been deprived of, like social shopping in physical places will be possible in the not too distant future. Community tools to provide effective analytics and reporting methods will prove even more important for retail and leisure destinations that want to win and engage customers as well as tenants.

This shared struggle was a lesson in collaboration against outside forces. Winning will require effort and optimism to make safe and enticing environments to stage your comeback. Success will also require accurate data to drive robust operational practices, strong communication and strategy with partners because like you, they are determined not to give up.

Get in touch to discuss the architecture we can help you implement for recovery