County Durham shopping outlet celebrates “record-breaking” 2022 with new retailers

Dalton Park Outlet Shopping Destination ended 2022 on a high with a record year for sales. Like for like sales across the year were up 14.5 percent vs 2019, the last comparable year due to the pandemic.

The results come following an “incredible” 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 “exciting” 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 with the introduction of new Christmas decorations made from sustainable recycled sugar cane, which emit up to 10 times fewer emissions than traditional lights. In April, Dalton Park’s £60k Play Park was officially named Shop and Slide after eight-year-old Rhys Savin won a competition to design the new official logo.

Centre manager Richard Kaye commented: “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.

“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 per cent 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.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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