How Southside shopping centre is battling back against Battersea Power Station

Physical retail has seen a resurgence in popularity post-pandemic, with major shopping centres such as Westfield White City and Stratford, the Trafford Centre, Bluewater and Metrocentre boasting a host of retail flagships, international brands and new offerings.

This is not the case for every UK shopping mall as many have been hit with a lack of investment and customer numbers not yet recovering from the pandemic.

According to the Local Data Company, shopping centre vacancies in the UK reached 17.7% in the final quarter of 2023.

Shopping centre footfall is also in the doldrums, with recent data by MRI Software showing footfall to shopping centres in July 2024 dropped 3% year on year with cash-conscious shoppers opting to spend their hard-earned at retail parks instead.

Regional mall Southside, which is located in the heart of Wandsworth, south London, and joint-owned by Landsec and Investco, is fighting back. It’s set to unveil a range of new brands, retailers and leisure companies in a bid to lower its vacancy rate to just 3%.

With the revamp set for completion in December, Southside director Rebecca Ruddle says the aim is to have a “complete offer” of convenience, retail and leisure for south London to give visitors what she calls an “unrivalled experience”.

Experience is key

While Southside is already developed in comparison to some regional malls, Ruddle explains that the centre doesn’t yet have a “connected” feel to it.

It does, however, have a diverse mix of units and has recently introduced Warren James, Sostrene Grene, Lidl, leisure brands Parthian Climbing and Padel Social Club, upsized its Poundland store, and is currently upsizing H&M to a 23,000 sq ft unit.

“We opened Lidl last month and created another reason for people to visit Southside,” Ruddle explains.

“It has increased our footfall by 10% and increased the sales of the brands around it as well by 10%. So that halo effect of creating these real sort of destination stores is having a true impact on Southside.”

In terms of the refresh, work has already begun on the centre and will soon see Southside equipped with new exteriors, new LED-strip lighting, a free water refill station and a community mural created by local artists.

Ruddle says: “We’re also creating a community destination with seating, a pop-up bar, and it’s going to be the place we use for events. We’re also working on our ‘busk stop’ launching in August where people can come and busk for free in the centre.

“We’re always thinking of new, exciting things to get people to come in and experience something that they haven’t seen in a centre before.”

The customer experience is something she emphasises, as she sees shopping malls as a place not just for retail, but for leisure activities too.

“We were one of the first [shopping centres] to move into the leisure market in a really big way,” Ruddle adds.

“In 2021, we transformed Debenhams into a Gravity leisure offer with indoor go-karting, which is something that you wouldn’t think you would normally experience when you come to a shopping centre.

“Having these offers increases the guest experience, increases the footfall and gets some brands earning even more money.”

Standing out in south London

Southside is not the only shopping centre in south London. Croydon’s Centrale and Whitgift are on the up, while the popular Battersea Power Station is a mere three miles away and offers a range of retail, leisure and hospitality.

The latter only opened its doors in 2022 but recorded 11.2 million visitors for the full year in 2023 thanks to a mix of tourists, locals and workers flocking to the centre.

Ruddle is very much focused on how Southside can gain and keep local customers and she believes listening to the community is key – especially as Wandsworth is awash with new housing and office developments.

“Southside sits at the heart of Wandsworth and it is one of the most diverse areas in London in terms of the wealth gap,” she explains.

“We want to make sure we’re surprising and delighting guests that may be on a challenged income with some free events such as crafting.

“We also have events that may be for the more affluent customer, so putting on these experiences for a variety of guests is important for loyalty.”

Loyalty is a big priority for Southside, which has just launched its Plus platform allowing guests who sign up to get VIP access to events, tickets for the site’s Christmas grotto and discounts on parking.

“So many new residents are coming in and we want to make sure that we are the number one destination for all of their shopping needs, their convenience and their leisure,” Ruddle says.

“We’re not just thinking about today, we’re thinking longer term into the future and we do a lot of research to know what our guests want.

“Our guests want to come and not just have their convenient shop and enjoy the leisure, but to experience something different and something that connects them with the community.”