Gigs and gigabytes draw visitors to Hammerson’s city centre destinations

Visitors flock to Hammerson's destinations for a series of new market-first activations in 2024, as the Group continues to reposition the portfolio through the creation of unique placemaking events and activities.

Cities remain key locations for commerce, innovation, culture and lifestyle and Hammerson city-centre portfolio continues to attract new concepts, partnerships and activations - and in turn visitors. In February, grime sensation Dizzee Rascal delighted fans at Cabot Circus and Bullring, encouraging thousands of visitors to descend on the destinations to see the artist promote his new album.

Last year, Bullring was transformed into a late night entertainment venue for a live music event - a market first - which saw celebrity DJs entertain the crowds at the iconic destination. Building on this success, Cabot Circus hosted 'Best of Bristol' which welcomed DJ's Roni Size and Massive Attack's Daddy G.

Later this month, in celebration of International Women's Day, Bullring will host a three-day festival right in the heart of Birmingham's city centre.

The first of its kind in a retail and leisure destination, Bullring Tech Takeover (8-10 March) aims to connect and empower women through innovation. This event will encourage women to explore careers in STEM, through workshops, expert panel discussions, talks and lectures.

These new events and activations further endorse Hammerson's strategic emphasis on placemaking. Repositioning its historically retail anchored assets to drive a broader mix of uses to attract new visitors and diversify its revenue streams. This is all complemented by the ongoing success of its leasing strategy to attract best-in-class occupiers and digitally native brands. 2024 activations include:

Cabot Circus, Bristol

• Exciting customers with musical talent: 7,000 visitors descended on Cabot Circus for a pop-up gig from rapper Dizzee Rascal in celebration of his new album. This event went viral on social media and was replicated at Bullring in Birmingham on Valentine's Day.
• Collaborating with local gastronomists: The Friary Building was transformed into a pop-up restaurant called Blasé on Valentine's Day, combining a seafood menu curated by Michelin restaurant-trained chef Hugo Harvey, with wine by Bristol's brilliant wine emporium Native Vine. With over 65 covers and 1.7k impressions on social media, this was Blasé's biggest ever pop-up and a successful testcase for future cultural and social events in the space.

Bullring & Grand Central, Birmingham

• Influencers shone the spotlight on wellbeing: Bullring hosted a wellness festival with sound baths, yoga classes, workshops, and brand partner collaborations headlined by Love Island star and UK Youth Mental Health ambassador Dr Alex George.
• The Northern Lights visit Birmingham: 'Borealis', an immersive light activation, captivated visitors during the February half term, pushing footfall up 9% versus 2023.

Westquay, Southampton

• Hosting cultural events for the community: In partnership with the Chinese Association of Southampton, Westquay hosted a Chinese New Year event with calligraphy workshops, dance and martial arts performances pushing footfall up 16% versus 2023.

Rita-Rose Gagné, CEO, Hammerson said: "Our portfolio of dominant city-centre destinations remain key locations for commerce, innovation, culture and lifestyle. Our continued focus on placemaking is integral to this and instrumental in how we change perception from places where customers come only to shop, to 'destinations' offering entertainment, leisure, social and lifestyle experiences."

ENDS

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