Sanderson Arcade in Morpeth achieves strongest year on record in 2024

In 2024, the shopping centre attracted three million customers a year for the first time.

A peak December trading period with footfall topping more than 320,000 saw the team hit the target on December 19.

December 2024 saw an increase in visitor numbers of 15 per cent across the month compared to December 2023 – with a new range of stores opening throughout the year and an imaginative events strategy helping to bring more shoppers into the award-winning centre.

Early in 2024, the Arcade underwent a major programme of investment with The White Company, Oliver Bonas and The Works joining the line-up in the former Sandersons Department Store unit.

Other new retailers to join Sanderson Arcade during 2024 include Reiker Shoes and Weird Fish.

Across the year, the centre saw a six per cent increase in footfall in 2024 compared to 2023, with the last quarter of the year being the strongest for visitor numbers.

Sanderson Arcade celebrated its 15th birthday in November 2024. Since opening in 2009, the centre has established itself in the region as a popular retail destination with a strong fashion line-up as well as a high-quality restaurant and café offer.

As well as new companies joining the centre, the last year has seen a number of key lease renewals – including Morpeth Larder, Vodafone, The Jewellers Guild and Phase Eight. The fashion retailer Hobbs also invested in an extensive refit.

Members of the Sanderson Arcade team have worked closely with other businesses during the busy Christmas period, including the Morpeth department store Rutherford & Co, on a range of festive events for shoppers.

Centre manager Lottie Thompson said: “We were absolutely delighted to reach the three million visitor mark in December. It’s a huge milestone for the centre and fantastic that it came so soon after celebrating the Arcade’s 15th birthday.

“2024 was definitely a big year for us in terms of changes at the centre and we are looking forward in 2025 to working with other local stakeholders in the town on promoting Morpeth, as well as delivering a great diary of events.”