Weston Favell Shopping Centre ended 50th anniversary year with more than FIVE MILLION visitors
The Weston Favell Shopping Centre manager has reflected on the success of their 50th anniversary year, with more than five million people who visited during 2024.
Last year was all about celebrating five decades of serving the Northampton community for the dedicated centre team and the businesses that make Weston Favell what it is today.
Manager Kevin Legg and his team invited the community to share the impressive milestone with them, which included a nostalgic exhibition of pictures and interviews – as well as a big birthday bash at the end of October.
It was in January 2006 when Kevin returned to take over, having previously worked as the maintenance supervisor and tech services manager until he left in 1998.
Kevin worked in shopping centres across Peterborough and Leicester for the decade to follow, until he was asked to return to Weston Favell. “They can’t get rid of me now,” he previously told the Chronicle & Echo.
When asked to sum up 2024, Kevin said: “It’s been amazing and we are in a great place. The Clip and Climb Pinnacle Climbing Centre will hopefully open in January and there are other things in the pipeline that we are excited to announce.
“It’s a credit to the retailers and shops serving the community and delivering what we started off 50 years ago. They ensure the community is served and it really is an encompassing offer.
“Footfall hit over five million in 2024, with two million cars into the car park. It’s a phenomenal amount and goes from strength to strength. There’s a good number of new retailers wanting to come in because of that success.”
One of the main highlights of last year was their fundraising efforts. Through donations to their ‘Honesty Library’, £1,974 was donated to each of the following five charities – Thomas’ Fund, The Lowdown, The Hope Centre, Animals In Need, and the Emmanuel Church Memory Café.
Many business owners also renewed their leases and Kevin says the team were very pleased to keep them on board.
Visitors enjoyed the nostalgia of the 50th anniversary celebrations so much that the team has installed the exhibition timeline on the walls of the lower mall, so people can continue to admire the shopping centre’s journey.
“The support from our customers has been fantastic,” said Kevin. “No matter the time of day, people visit and enjoy what we’ve got to offer. We’re not just a shopping destination, we offer leisure as well and give people what they want.”
Though the team has enjoyed looking back over the past five decades, Kevin said: “We’re looking to the future as well. We can all remember but we also need to be aware of what we’ve got to deliver, which will always keep us on our toes.
“We truly have some exciting months ahead of us and would like to thank all the centre’s staff and our customers for supporting our stores – both national brands but also our local independent retailers.”
With Clip and Climb expected to open soon, the shopping centre is virtually 100 percent let – which is an impressive feat at what remains a difficult time for retail across the country.
“It’s testimony to the staff and the success of the centre,” said Kevin. “People want to come in and share that success. It’s a big team effort and a lot of things go on behind the scenes that customers don’t see. It’s a 24-hour operation.”
The team also looks forward to working alongside local groups to develop their community garden in 2025, and welcoming them to have their say on the future of the centre.