Shopping centre in Skegness launches fresh new look

The Hildreds Shopping Centre rebrand launch. Pictured security officer Stephen Brewster (left) and centre manager Steve Andrews with the centre's spruced up Jolly Fisherman.

Thousands of people turned out to help a shopping centre in Skegness celebrate the launch of its new look.

The Hildreds Shopping Centre has undergone a comprehensive re-branding exercise, with new signage, a new logo, new staff uniforms, new brochures, and a new website now in place.

On Saturday, a launch event was held for the transformed centre, featuring traditional seaside entertainment.

The Mayor of Skegness, Coun Dick Edginton, also joined in the celebrations, as well as Skegness’s first citizen, the Jolly Fisherman.

Centre manager Steve Andrews said: “The re-brand launch was a fantastic event, even though it was a little damp. Thousands of people turned out and had fun at the centre interacting with Gary Starr’s Alice in Wonderland characters, Mr Fipps Circus stars and even Daleks.

“Paul Temple kept us entertained with his Punch and Judy and balloon modelling, too.”

The last re-branding was 10 years ago, Mr Andrews continued.

He said: “We decided to update the existing logo and colour scheme to give the centre a fresh new look and a vibrant colour scheme in line with the seaside image.

“Everything has been upgraded, from the centre signs, the staff uniforms, logo, brochures and The Hildreds website.

“Our Facebook and Twitter pages are extremely popular, and we hope that now our website has had a makeover that people will find it easier to use and interact with us in as many ways as possible.”

Last year The Hildreds attracted 4.2million visitors, up 7.2 per cent on overall footfall compared with 2014.

For more information on the centre call 01754 764899 or visit www.hildredsshoppingcentre.co.uk

HILDREDS OCCUPANCY RATE AT 100 PER CENT

The Hildreds is currently celebrating a 100 per cent occupancy rate, following the arrival of The Chuckling Cheese Company in May and Pandora last month.

The last time the centre was fully let was about six years ago. “Achieving 100 per cent occupancy at The Hildreds is a remarkable achievement, especially in the context of rates of vacant units elsewhere,” said centre manager Steve Andrews.

“We have worked extremely hard to attract good quality national and independent retailers.”

He added: “The Hildreds is like a family, we all work together to offer the customer an experience which is beyond their expectation every time they enter the centre.”