The manager of Eastgate Shopping Centre in Inverness has revealed how the centre plans to embrace the change coming its way.
Chris Kershaw said an “encouraging” start to the year, with footfall up year-on-year despite “tough conditions”.
The shopping centre will be left without a food court once again after the company running its five restaurants pulled out.
However, Eastgate bosses are hopeful they’ll be able to re-open the food court with a different operator later this year.
It will also lose Lakeland as it moves to Simpsons Garden Centre.
However, jewellery shop Pandora has moved to a larger unit.
A new restaurant, as well as a new Royal Bank of Scotland branch, will open inside the Eastgate in March.
‘We have to embrace the change and be resilient’
Chris believes Eastgate will have to “embrace the change” with plenty of ins and outs in the upcoming months.
He said: “We have quite a few developments ongoing. It’s about being resilient, but also embracing that change.
“I’m very much about the overall experience of the Eastgate – and it has to be an experience for customers. We’re always looking at new ways to add to that.
“Maeme’s and RBS are looking to open in March and Pandora have had a swift turnaround to open in their new unit.
“It looks amazing and has really brightened up the corner. Vision Express has finished its refit and it looks tremendous too.
“I think it is massively encouraging to see businesses are willing to invest a good amount of money into the centre. They clearly see a good future for it.”
Eastgate Shopping Centre boss dreams of Zara return
Chris revealed clothing retailer Zara is one of his dream shops for Eastgate Shopping Centre as it looks to add new shops to its 12 empty units.
Zara has history in Inverness, having being located within the Eastgate.
The popular brand had two units across two floors and employed 20 staff across its shops in the capital of the Highlands.
However, the company took the “extremely difficult” decision to shut the store in January 2011.
Chris said: “Zara was across the two floors and was hugely popular going back more than a decade.
“It was across two floors and whenever we speak to customers a lot of the feedback is that they miss Zara.
“I think it would do really well if it came back to Inverness.”
Chris revealed the Eastgate is in several talks with businesses to make the experience “as high a standard as we can”.
He added: “We have several names we’re in talks with, some local, some more national and some which are out of the box and will provide something completely different.”
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