Athlone Towncentre records more than 4 million visitors in 2023
Athlone Towncentre, the largest shopping centre in the Midlands, has recorded a footfall of 4.1 million in 2023, representing an 8% increase in footfall in 2022 and a 52% increase on 2021, when Covid-19 restrictions continued to impact retail outlets.
The strong recovery in footfall numbers recorded were despite increased cost of living pressures over the course of 2023 and indicate robust consumer sentiment in the region and a marked recovery for regional retail hubs in Ireland post-Covid.
The number of visits made to Athlone Towncentre in 2023 is tracking positively towards a full return to pre-Covid levels, where a record 4.2 million visits were recorded at the centre in 2019.
Commenting on the centre’s performance in 2023, Marketing Manager at Athlone Towncentre, Shirley Delahunt, said: “2023 was hugely positive year for Athlone Towncentre as we saw a substantial increase in the number of people coming through our doors over the course of the year. We’re investing heavily in providing a best-in-class retail experience for our customers, and building our base of brands to bring unique shopping experiences to the people of Athlone, Westmeath and surrounding Midland counties.
In 2024, our target is to surpass the record 2019 levels of visitors to the centre, as we continue to invest to enhance our centre facilities for shoppers, and further progress our ambitious sustainability upgrade project.”
The centre, which houses more than 50 brands across over 17,000 sq. m. of retail space, has received substantial investment in recent years, including a €1 million investment to amalgamate five units for the creation of a new Sports Direct store which opened in August 2023, and a sustainability upgrade investment project of circa €1.5 million, resulting in a significant reduction in retail and car park electricity consumption compared to 2019 and pre-Covid consumption. The centre also introduced EV charging points in its car park to accommodate increasing numbers of electric vehicles and houses a number of unique brands, not available in the wider region including H&M, JD Sports, Marks & Spencer, River Island, Rituals and Zara.
The busiest month for shopping at the centre was December where almost 475,000 visits were made in the run up to Christmas, and on average over 340,000 people pass through the doors on a monthly basis.