Late-night shopping culture 'will take time'
Bosses at Leicester's Highcross shopping centre said creating a late-night shopping culture in the city would take time to build up.
They spoke out following complaints from staff who are unhappy at being asked to work until 8pm even though the shops are deserted in the evenings.
Disgruntled employees last week launched an online petition calling for a change to the centre opening hours.
The group on social networking site Facebook had been joined by 130 people before it was eventually taken offline.
Among those who signed up in favour of the centre shutting at 6pm were staff from department stores Debenhams and House of Fraser, as well as All Saints, Francis & Gayle jewellers, Guess, H&M, Menkind, River Island, Topman and Zara.
A Debenhams worker, who did not want to be named, told the Leicester Mercury: "I don't know any staff who are happy with the hours. After 6pm, we're all waiting around and maybe serve one customer an hour if we are lucky."
Tom Nathan, general manager of Highcross Leicester, said it had always been anticipated that evening shopping habits would take time to establish.
He ruled out a return to the 6pm closing time operated in the centre's previous incarnation as The Shires and suggested it could eventually stay open until 10pm if there was demand.
"There are hundreds of locations across the country where customers are voting with their feet and saying they want the convenience of being able to shop, go for a meal or go to the cinema at night," he said.
"With Highcross, we are one of the country's top 10 cities in terms of retail and we fully intend to give our customers that level of service here.
"We said to stores from the beginning that it will take a year to become fully established and start to grow."
He said the relatively slow start to evening shopping was mirrored in the first year at Birmingham's Bull Ring following its opening in 2003.
He said: "The Trafford Centre in Manchester is open until 10pm. If there is demand for it here, it is something we will look at."
Centre management also disputed whether the opposition to evening opening was representative of all staff.
"I respect their views, but we have 4,000 people working in the Highcross and I would be surprised if they were in the majority," said Mr Nathan.
He added that, while January is a traditionally quiet time of the year in retail, a quarter of all sales at Highcross Leicester in December came after 5pm.
"Of course, there will not be as many people in at 7pm as there is at 2pm, or at lunch time, but figures show that people who shop later tend to spend more because they are on a mission."
Shoppers at Highcross Leicester said today they appreciated the extra flexibility of evening opening hours.
Nilesh Ladd, 27, from Belgrave said: "Personally, I'd rather not go shopping on a Saturday, as it's too busy. It's much more convenient for me to go after work.
"It should help bring more shoppers into Leicester, too."
Jill Turner, 52, from Loughborough, said: "I didn't realise it was open late every night.
"I thought it was just at Christmas."
21 Comments
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by Martin Byrne, Manchester
Wednesday, April 01 2009, 2:25PM
“I lived in Leicester and thought it was awful that everywhere shuts at 6, with most people finishing work at 5/5:30 - how are you supposed to shop?? I now live in Manchester where absolutely everywhere is open until 10pm every night except Sunday, and it makes more sense. Leicester is so far behind it is embarrassing, yet the first tiny step forwards is treated with such haste! Crazy...”
by L.H, Leicester
Wednesday, January 21 2009, 9:51AM
“Employees in the Highcross dont get a choice of what hours they work and to say "if you dont like it then leave" is ridiculous. I'm sure many of you making this comment work in offices, banks etc and are not forced to work unsociable hours! I live in Broughton Astley and the bus services havent changed since the opening of the Highcross, so every 8pm finish means my bus isnt until 9pm, with an hours journey....I dont get home until 10pm, then i'm up agin at 6 for an early start!”
by Daniel, Leicester
Tuesday, January 20 2009, 11:49AM
“What is the matter with some of the people commenting on here! you cant tell people to work till 8pm and tell them they should be glad just to have a job!! didnt we abolish slavery some time ago! I agree with Neil that if the original opening hours were till 6pm AS STATED then surely thats what the employees contracts would also state! I doubt the employees would be complaining as they are if they had signed contracts already stating upto 8pm or a later finish!! Although I find the idea of later opening hours appealing I also cant help thinking that its a false economy in todays market as so many times mentioned below if there is a only a hand full of people there at these times they must be running at a loss to keep the whole thing open with utilities and staff!.”
by kit, coalville
Tuesday, January 20 2009, 9:26AM
“i never knew the highcross was open until eight and i'm sure a lot of other people didn't either. now i know i shall make use of it. But I understand that people shouldn't have to work long hours if they don't wish too, there are always people who would like to work just a few hours a week that could take up the slack.”
by claire, leics
Monday, January 19 2009, 3:51PM
“I think Highcross is to blame I didn't know it was open until 8pm .To be honest it needs to stay open until 10pm to be of any use to working peope.This would also mean that the stores could employ staff just to work in the evening who needed the flexability this offers. My friends and I did pop in before Christmas for late night shopping but, by the time we got there at 6.45pm - which was a rush - everywhere seemed half-shut and lacked atmosphere. Highcross needs to make it an event with stuff going on and maybe only stay open late one night a week.”
by Alison, Markfield
Monday, January 19 2009, 3:35PM
“Am I right in thinking that the Park & Ride service stops before eight, and that the council wants to dissuade people from driving into town? Is this yet another example of a failure in joined-up thinking? There is no economic point in keeping these shops open - think of the costs in lighting and heating alone - if there aren't enough buyers, and frankly I don't think Highcross is sufficiently attractive to tempt them. Surely most evening visitors to Leicester are dining or cinema/theatre-going, not shopping.”
by CJ, Leicester
Monday, January 19 2009, 2:49PM
“Simple, do on-line shopping! It's cheaper half the time and you don't need to walk about at 8 or 9 at night! Why waste time and money keeping stores open such as fashion retail etc?”
by John Stitch, Leicester
Monday, January 19 2009, 1:19PM
“'Late night shopping culture'? How much spare cash do they think people have ? Despite the economic downturn there are of course plenty of people around with plenty of money ( always have been, always will be ) - but they are just not the kind of people who are going to be coming in to the town at that time of night to go to a department store - largely for the reasons that Mike of Glenfield has outlined above.”
by Sarah D, Leicester City Centre
Monday, January 19 2009, 1:15PM
“Mike from Glenfield's comments about Leicester being "dirty" and "dangerous" are ridiculous. I live in the City Centre and find it to be neither. The new Highcross development is a pleasure to shop in and I love being able to browse after work when it is a great deal calmer than the chaos on Saturday! If you work in retail you should expect to work unusual hours. I would imagine that the staff who are complaining would expect the staff at their favourite bars and pubs to be there ready and waiting no matter how full or empty the premises are.”
by Duane, leicester
Monday, January 19 2009, 1:15PM
“I like the extra opening hours. The reason the extra opening hours are not fully utilised is because not all stores remain open after 6pm. If all of town was open until 8pm then town would be alot busier at later times.”