Victoria Centre is introducing bespoke mall units for smaller
businesses in a drive to support local enterprise.
The latest mall installation has been taken by Danielle
Gotheridge, Proprietor of 'Your Unique Day' celebration cake
company and is designed to enhance the shopper's experience by
offering local, artisan products. After five years of creating
cakes for celebrations across the Midlands, Danielle can now
showcase her designs in the city centre, as well as selling her
hand-crafted cup cakes from the unit itself. Danielle says "Having
a specially-designed unit in such a prominent location as Victoria
Centre is fantastic. The Centre's commercial team has given me a
lot of support, and sales are already very promising."
Alongside the favourite high street names, Victoria Centre aims
to offer customers an alternative to the usual mass-produced
commodities. Victoria Centre's research indicates that there is a
growing need for niche products and services, particularly where
these can be locally sourced. The innovative mall units are
intended to celebrate the individual design and quality of products
that cannot be found anywhere else.
Customers can expect more artisan products to be popping up in
mall units around Victoria Centre including a florist and possibly
a delicatessen as well as local farm produce. The Centre is
currently sourcing local businesses and will provide support and
advice to Nottingham's smaller enterprises that may be retailing
for the first time. Local students may also be given the
opportunity to showcase and sell their products in a
cooperative-style unit. Victoria Centre Commercialisation
Coordinator Julia Matthews helped Danielle with unit design and
merchandising advice and will offer the same support to chosen
tenants.
General Manager Richard Bowler says: "At Victoria Centre we
believe in being innovative and responsive to shoppers' feedback.
Danielle is proving that the new concept works so we are actively
looking for more high quality, local enterprise to add to our
tenant mix."