We welcomed 11 million people through the doors of The Bridges and we have more to come in 2026

The management team at the centre has been reflecting on a year of high-occupancy, thanks to a number of new openings, which has also seen them ranked in the Top 5 Shopping Centres in the North East by the Trevor Wood 2026 Shopping Guide.

The last quarter of the year has seen soft pretzel brand Auntie Anne’s open its first North East store in September 2025, followed by Yankee Candle and sandwich retailer Subway making their centre debuts in November.

Meanwhile, Pan-Asian noodle chain Chopstix, opened its doors on December 22, enhancing the food and beverage offering in the centre.

Earlier in the year, international jewellery brand Lovisa opened in June 2025, while fast-growing fragrance retailer Ya Dubai launched its kiosk in April 2025.

Tesco Express also returned to the city centre in June 2025, its first presence since 2022.

Karen Eve, Centre Director at the Bridges, said: “The Bridges has performed really well over the last 12 months, securing regional debuts like Auntie Anne’s and Chopstix, showing that leading national retailers have huge confidence in Sunderland. We’re looking forward to further announcements as we move into 2026.”

There was also an activity programme throughout the year.

During the Easter holidays, the centre hosted a series of free Paddington Bear inspired experiences linked to its iconic Paddington statue, engaging more than 1,500 children and families through interactive trails, creative workshops and meet-and-greet events.

Recognising the impact of holiday hunger and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, summer 2025 saw the Bridges support local charity Feeding Families and deliver two free initiatives focused on supporting families in need.

Providing active play, creative workshops and free breakfasts, the programme engaged around 4,700 children, served 327 families across 19 breakfast sessions and raised £1,311, plus vital food donations for the charity.

More recently, Christmas at The Bridges delivered a successful festive programme, including Santa’s Ice Castle Grotto and a magical VR Sleigh Ride, which together welcomed more than 5,000 visitors, alongside 120 people attending Breakfast with the Grinch across three weekends in December.

Throughout the festive season, the centre also supported a wide range of local causes, including collecting over 200 toy donations for the Love Amelia Toy Appeal and raising £3,500 in cash donations through Santa’s Grotto, to be shared between local charities.

Additional support included hosting the annual Red Sky Foundation Reindeer Dash, providing promotional space for The Fans Museum, supporting St Benedict’s Hospice Giving Tree, and hosting carol singing sessions, collectively raising over £18,000 for local charities including Oasis Housing, Sunderland Theatre Company and The Children’s Foundation.