New brands give a boost to Canterbury shopping centre
Some top new brands are moving to Canterbury.
The Ivy Brasserie opened at the top of the High Street at the end of last year, bringing some London glamour to the former Dorothy Perkins building on The Parade and Rose Lane.
With many stores closing since the pandemic, Whitefriars has had no shortage of interest from large multi-national brands showing confidence in one of England’s more picturesque medieval towns, with its cathedral and large student population.
HMV will be split into two units, with the British cosmetic retailer, Space NK, and ProCook.
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Rachel Pilard, Head of Marketing and Communications at Canterbury Bid, said there is a lot of commercial interest in Whitefriars from national brands, which is great news for the city and improves the overall retail offer.
“The same can be said for the rest of the city centre,” said Rachel, indicating that a larger percentage of independents look to invest.
“Over 69% of businesses in the city centre are independent, and change might be more frequent, but a lot of this is due to businesses evolving – some move into larger units.
“Some pivot their offering depending on customer need.
“These changes mean we have a vibrant city centre with big brand names and the chance to support new, up-and-coming businesses.”
Charlotte Tilbury has just arrived at Fenwick, taking over the floor space previously occupied by Bobbi Brown and Aveda.
Claire Bogan, Store Director at Fenwick Canterbury, said: “The launch of Charlotte Tilbury at Fenwick Canterbury on 1 May was a great success, creating a vibrant buzz in-store.”
The iconic brand was founded by internationally acclaimed Hollywood make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury for red carpets and runways.
“As one of beauty’s most iconic brands, Charlotte Tilbury brings a new level of excitement to Canterbury’s beauty scene,” said Claire Bogan.
Adding that shoppers were offered exclusive experiences at the launch, including a limited-edition tote bag for early visitors.
Megan Ruffell, an Asset Manager from New River, said that Whitefriars remains a premium site for retail and shoppers.
New River manages Whitefriars for Canterbury City Council, which gained full ownership of the retail site in 2018.
“Two more major brands will also be coming to Whitefriars,’ said Megan, “but we can’t say who they are at the moment.”
Overall, sales are up year on year by 4.5% according to Canterbury Bid, in all categories except clothing.
Phase Eight closed its doors for good last week at the Marlowe Arcade, although it still has a unit inside Fenwick.
Escape Hunt has also opened in Riverside alongside its sister organization, Boom Battle Bar, creating an adventure zone at Riverside.
Talking with Councillor Michael Dixey, Cabinet Member for Property and Performance, he said that some retail units on the High Street may stay closed longer due to businesses applying for planning permission for a change of use.
“There is a necessity to keep a balance on what is on offer and retain office space, as office space also tends to pay better wages than zero-hour contracts,” he said.
