Merry Hill delivers record sales and footfall following 300,000 sq ft of deals and £20m investment

Merry Hill has announced record performance for 2025, with a rise in sales of 4.3 percent year-on-year, while footfall surged by 5 percent, reinforcing the centre’s position as the flagship for the West Midlands.

The strong performance follows a year of focused asset management and investment, during which over 40 leasing transactions were completed, covering 300,000 sq ft. Footfall growth remained robust throughout the year, with standout performance in the Golden Quarter, which had a sustained footfall increase of 5.5 percent compared to 2024. As a result, Merry Hill significantly outperformed the BRC’s industry benchmark of -5.1 percent, and wider super-regional benchmarks of +2.7 percent year-to-date, highlighting the strength of its targeted investment strategy and proactive asset management.

Merry Hill’s £20 million investment across the year has been a large contributor to this success. The comprehensive refurbishment of the Lower Retail Park delivered 34,000 sq ft of new space and resulted in a fully let site, with new openings for B&Q, Bensons for Beds, and Costa Coffee. M&S’s landmark opening of a new 100,000 sq ft flagship store represented a significant commitment from the retailer and landlord, highlighting Merry Hill’s status as a key growth location for leading national brands.

Further retail investment has included openings from Lovisa and Flying Tiger, alongside the UK’s largest Savers and the country’s first standalone of Apple Premium Partner ‘Select’. Meanwhile, established occupiers continue to demonstrate confidence in the scheme, with upsizes from the likes of Goldsmiths, EE with a new full experience store, and Hotel Chocolat, the latter having benefitted from a sales increase of 125 percent in December, amongst 22 renewals in the calendar year.

Investment extended into the centre’s award-winning leisure quarter, with the opening of Burger & Sauce in August ensuring this key part of Merry Hill became fully let. Additional F&B investment included the arrival of Slim Chickens, Wendy’s, KFC, and Heavenly Desserts, while Toledo Lounge became the first Loungers concept within a covered mall environment.

This breadth of investment has driven strong category performance, with homewares leading at +62 percent YOY, followed by restaurants at +24 percent YOY. Community-based functions have grown significantly, with category performance for Eyecare up 24 percent in December, and following the introduction of the newly opened NHS Merry Hill Health Hub.

 Alistair Winning, Asset Manager at Sovereign Centros from CBRE, on behalf of Merry Hill, commented: “Merry Hill’s outstanding performance is the result of several years of focused investment and hands-on asset management. We’re seeing strong confidence from both new and existing occupiers – from international brands choosing Merry Hill for their UK debut to major retailers such as M&S investing in a long-term future here. A strengthened retail offer, an award-winning leisure quarter, investment in the experience, and sustained footfall growth has created an environment in which Merry Hill can consistently outperform its peers.”

This momentum is extending into the 2026 with further groundbreaking leasing activity, Carnival Golf & Games opening its 23,700 sq ft location at Merry Hill in the coming weeks, which will be a first-of-its-kind space from national leisure operator Funstation.

JLL, Time Retail Partners, and Font Real Estate represent Merry Hill.