McArthurGlen Designer Outlet West Midlands - looking back and looking ahead with major expansion on the cards
Business editor Tamlyn Jones reflects on the birth of McArthurGlen in Cannock and the new expansion plans
It was more than a decade ago, back in summer 2014, that I was first told about plans for a £160 million new outlet village on the outskirts of Cannock in Staffordshire.
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Having only ever been to Cheshire Oaks in Ellesmere Port, I wasn't entirely sure what I thought.
Was it the right location next to a nature reserve? How many stores would it have and what variety? Would it attract local shoppers in the internet age and be a success?
Now, four and a half years on from its initial (and delayed) launch in April 2021, as the nation was still grappling with Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions, it seems the question of whether it would be a success or not has been answered.
David Jackson, centre manager of McArthurGlen Designer Outlet West Midlands, has confirmed there are major expansion plans on the cards.
He says the number of traders will climb from 75 to around 100 and up to 500 new jobs could be created by 2027 by an expansion expected to add an extra 30 per cent onto the 200,000 sq ft of space there.
Among the proposals are a street food and dining destination to serve its four million annual visitors - a figure which the centre says is expected to hit five million over the next four years.
