CREATING A NEW DINING EXPERIENCE
A VISION FOR THE FUTURE With more than 24 million visitors per annum, Merry Hill is one of the UK’s most successful and popular shopping centres. With an ambitious development masterplan, Merry Hill and its surrounds are set to become an integrated retail, leisure and lifestyle destination at the heart of the West Midlands. Eat Central, Merry Hill’s state-of-the-art food court, is the first impressive step in this masterplan. Merry Hill is the focal point of a 220 acre mixed-use complex in the heart of the West Midlands. The 140,800 sq m centre offers over 250 stores including Debenhams, M&S, Sainsbury’s, Bhs, Next, H&M, TK Maxx, Asda, Primark and Topshop. The complex includes an Odeon cinema, external retail park featuring 21 units and 8,000 car parking spaces. In addition, the Waterfront precinct provides office accommodation and a mix of restaurants and bars, creating a vibrant social destination throughout the day and into the night. Merry Hill is currently being transformed with improvements to the retail mix, the installation of contemporary bulk heads, impressive full height glazing shop fronts and plans for a spectacular new food court. The Merry Hill masterplan has been developed in partnership with Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council. The development concept is based on the linkage of Merry Hill, the Waterfront and Brierley Hill High Street to create a new urban centre. The masterplan proposes comprehensive improvements to the public transport infrastructure, 1,300 new residential units and the creation of significant office, leisure and public spaces.
THE WESTFIELD DINING EXPERIENCE
Westfield specialises in creating innovative food retailing destinations which have transformed shopping centres across the globe into entertainment and lifestyle destinations. The recently launched Westfield Derby introduced Eat Central to the UK market and Merry Hill will see the next generation of the concept.
Characterised by successfully blending traditional high-street food retail with a range of international cuisine, Eat Central is designed to tempt all taste buds. Featuring individual food stations designed to showcase preparation and cooking technique, customers will be tempted by freshly prepared meals created with quality ingredients right before their eyes.
DINING ENVIRONMENT
Eat Central’s dining court is arranged around a central atrium, allowing daylight into the space. The light is filtered through the leaves of a central tree which gives focus and drama to the seating area. The design concept is to provide a busy, welcoming and inviting environment that fully embraces a wealth of culinary experiences. The material palette is natural and textured with perimeter panelling that complements the dappled light in the central space.
Different heights and arrangements of seating create a relaxed informal sense of space. Raised and lowered areas allow for an inviting and rich mix of environments, enabling the food preparation and presentation to remain at the heart of the Eat Central concept.
– A NEW CONCEPT IN SHOPPING CENTRE DINING
Eat Central will transform the catering offer at Merry Hill and provide customers with a unique dining experience. With 1,200 seats and 16 operators, the development will offer an eclectic mix of local and international cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere. Inspired by natural and sustainable materials and finishes, the development will reflect a modern, contemporary and fresh approach to food court design. Located on the upper mall, Eat Central will have a new, dedicated entrance suitably named ‘The Orangery’ which takes you from outside the building directly into the centre.
Three double height restaurants with entrances both outside the centre and inside Eat Central will provide a vibrant welcome to the area and build on the centre’s evening trade. A recent exit survey at Merry Hill indicated that customers believe the major area where the centre could most improve is the catering offer. Further, with a total trade area expenditure on food catering estimated at £215 million, 22% of total expenditure*, the demand for Eat Central is extremely robust.
* based on weighted 2008 spend across all spend categories, CACI
THE REGION AND ITS PEOPLE CATCHMENT Merry Hill has more than 24 million customer visits per annum and serves a main catchment of almost 1.6 million people, including the affluent counties of Worcestershire, South Staffordshire and Shropshire. The centre has a spend potential of more than £588 million* per annum within its core catchment. 22% of spend** across all categories is directed to food catering. Over 50% of Merry Hill’s core catchment is classified within the family ACORN*** profile, significantly higher than the UK average. The catchment also has a consumer profile that includes 21% within the wealthy achievers category and 35% within the comfortably off category. * based on weighted 2008 spend on comparison goods, CACI ** based on weighted 2008 spend across all spend categories, CACI *** CACI 2008 research
EXPENDITURE SUMMARY 2008 Trade Area
Total Spend (£m)
Weighted Spend (£m)
Primary
948
328
Secondary
1,210
162
Main Trade Area
2,158
490
Tertiary
1,679
97
Total Trade Area
3,837
588
Beyond
5,046
65
Total
8,883
653
LOCATION & ACCESSIBILITY Merry Hill and the Waterfront are situated in the heart of the Black Country, just 16km west of Birmingham. Sandwell and Dudley railway station is within close proximity and receives intercity train services from London and Birmingham. The centre is also adjacent to the A4036 and just 8 km from the M5 motorway.