Dalton Park toasts record number of sales in 2022

Like for like sales across the year at the shopping outlet in Murton, County Durham, were up 14.5% vs 2019, the last comparable year due to the pandemic.

The results come following a strong 2022 for the outlet shopping destination as it bounced back beyond expectations post COVID-19 restrictions.

New retailers arrived and long-term brands moved into larger units throughout the year, further enhancing the visitor experience.

Crew Clothing, Skechers and Dune all made their mall debuts, while Radley, Clarks and Levi’s snapped up bigger stores.

Events made a welcome return, starting with a brand-new concept - EcoFest - in partnership with Climate Action North, in February.

The two-day extravaganza was a celebration of sustainable practices and products and featured eco-friendly stalls, live entertainment, parkland adventures, workshops and an eco-fashion catwalk.

Other activities during 2022 included an Alice in Wonderland themed Easter Maze, celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, a summertime BeachFest and a spooky Halloween Scare Academy.

The year ended in style with the introduction of new Christmas decorations made from sustainable recycled sugar cane, which emit up to 10 times less emissions than traditional lights.

In April, Dalton Park’s £60,000 Play Park was officially named Shop and Slide after eight-year-old Rhys Savin won a competition to design the new official logo.

There were celebrations in July after Connor Turnbull, dubbed as arguably the UK’s friendliest Security Officer, was named Visit County Durham’s Tourism Superstar and fast tracked to the national awards hosted by Visit England and, in other awards news, Dalton Park was named a finalist in the Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable business category of the North East Tourism Awards.

Centre Manager, Richard Kaye, is optimistic that the good news will keep coming in 2023. He said: “I look back on my first year as Centre Manager here at Dalton Park with immense pride in everyone that has contributed to a wonderful 2022.

“With all eyes on the future and following the pandemic, everyone in the team has worked tirelessly to push forward with exciting plans and events. The feedback from guests showed that our efforts have paid off."

He added: “It is fantastic to see Crew Clothing, Skechers and Dune on the mall and the new Radley, Molton Brown, Clarks and Levi’s stores look exceptional.

“The fact that sales are up a staggering 14.5% on pre-pandemic levels, especially with the current economic climate, suggests that the value of the outlet proposition is still incredibly strong.

“Of course, we are already looking ahead to 2023 and all the signs are that it is set to be another exciting 12 months here at Dalton Park.”