Record 269,000 visits give Merseyway its busiest ever week

Merseyway Shopping Centre has celebrated a record-breaking week after welcoming over a quarter of a million visitors, marking its highest weekly footfall since 2020.

More than 269,000 visits were recorded at Merseyway during the first week of August, representing an increase of 24% compared with the equivalent period last year,and marking the second consecutive week in which the centre welcomed over a quarter of a million visitors.

The milestone follows a packed programme of summer activity at Merseyway and across Stockport town centre, including Totally Stockport Krazy Races, alongside Merseyway’s free beach, Merseybay, a programme of superhero events and the launch of donations for the centre’s annual pop-up Uniform Shop, which opened this month.

Sunday 9th August, when Totally Stockport Krazy Races took place, proved particularly successful with over 50,000 visitors recorded, more than double the previous Sunday and up 138% compared with the equivalent Sunday last year.

While the Krazy Races event provided a significant boost to visitor numbers, Merseyway’s wider summer programme has helped encourage people to spend more time in the town centre, with the beach and family-focused events providing additional reasons to visit throughout the school holidays.

Importantly, the record week forms part of a broader positive picture for Merseyway, with footfall continuing to grow consistently over recent months, building on its total number of visits from last year, which totalled 11 million for 2025. At a time when shopping habits and town centres across the UK continue to change, the sustained increase reflects how Merseyway has developed beyond a traditional shopping centre, combining retail with leisure, culture and community uses to give people more reasons to visit and spend time in the town centre.

Sitting at the heart of the UK’s largest town centre regeneration, Merseyway’s progress forms part of Stockport’s ambitious £1 billion regeneration plans, with recent developments including Stockroom, STOK and the Merseyway Innovation Centre bringing together culture, learning, public services and modern, flexible workspace. Merseyway has also been featured in Totally Stockport’s On the Up campaign, which showcases the scale and pace of change taking place across Stockport town centre and highlights how Merseyway has evolved significantly in recent years.

Stockroom, Stockport town centre’s cultural and creative centre, has a contemporary library, children’s learning space, café, studios, local archives and flexible event spaces, while state-of-the-art public facilities are creating a more accessible and welcoming environment for visitors. 

Stockport is proving that town centres do not have to choose between retail, culture and community use. The most successful places are bringing them together, creating destinations where people can shop, work, learn, socialise and spend time.

Cllr Micheala Meikle, Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration at Stockport Council, said:

“Seeing over a quarter of a million visits in a single week is a real boost for Stockport town centre and to all of the shops and independent businesses based here.

“What’s encouraging is that people are coming into our town centre for lots of different reasons, whether that’s shopping, attending major events like Totally Stockport’s Krazy Races, using services, visiting places like our much-loved Stockroom or simply spending time with family and friends.

“Merseyway sits right at the heart of the changes happening across Stockport. As we continue to bring new homes, jobs, culture and public spaces into the town centre, we’re creating more reasons for people to visit, spend time here and support local businesses.

“These figures show the confidence people have in Stockport and I’d like to thank everyone who continues to spend their time here as we build on the momentum that comes with leading the UK’s largest town centre regeneration.”

Victoria Nichol, Centre Manager at Merseyway Shopping Centre, said:

“We’re delighted to have recorded our busiest week since our new footfall counters were installed. Almost 270,000 visits in a single week is a fantastic milestone for Merseyway and, importantly, we’re seeing positive momentum beyond individual event days too.

“We’re very much a community-led shopping centre and we’ve recognised that people want a little bit more from the town centre than a day of shopping – they want to see something different when they come into the town, so events such as Krazy Races undoubtedly bring a real buzz to Stockport, while our own summer programme, including our free beach and superhero activities, gives families even more reasons to visit and spend time here. 

“In Merseyway alone there are over 90 retailers, and they are a mixture of independents and high street brands, as well as creatives like Merseyway Workshop and Plastic Shed. We also have the free immersive space, Stockroom, which has been an amazing addition. It’s particularly encouraging to see our footfall continuing to grow over recent months and we’d like to thank our retailers, partners and visitors for playing their part in that success.”

The increase in visitors is also providing a welcome boost for businesses trading at Merseyway.

Today, the centre offers a diverse mix of national retailers, independent businesses and community-focused spaces, reflecting its role as an important destination for both shoppers and the wider local community.

Over the past 12 months, the centre has welcomed five new retailers – Lovisa, Sostrene Grene, The Grape Tree, Shoezone and The Zip Yard – further strengthening its retail offer. They join established high street names including Primark, Pandora, Waterstones and JD Sports, alongside independent and specialist businesses such as Sweet Bud. Merseyway also continues to provide space for organisations that support and engage with the local community. These include The Merseyway Workshop and Plastic Shed, as well as The Landing, a rooftop growing space that brings an innovative community and sustainability-focused use to the centre.

Merseyway’s success comes amid continued collaboration between the centre and its tenants, Stockport Council, Totally Stockport and other town centre partners to create a vibrant destination with a year-round programme of reasons to visit.

Commenting on the impact of Totally Stockport Krazy Races, Shaun Freeman-Jones, BID Manager at Totally Stockport, said:

“We were absolutely delighted with the turnout for the Totally Stockport Krazy Race. Seeing more people visiting Merseyway than ever before, and seeing the energy spread across the town, shows the incredible impact that events like this can have.

“Totally Stockport Krazy Races is only possible because of the investment made by local businesses through the Business Improvement District, Totally Stockport. Their support enables us to fund and deliver major events that bring thousands of people into the town centre, create a fantastic atmosphere and, most importantly, generate additional footfall for the businesses that make Stockport such a great place to visit. 

“We want to thank all our partners including Merseyway and Stockport Council for the ongoing support in making these major events possible.”

The latest figures reinforce the positive trajectory for Merseyway as it continues its programme of events and activities throughout 2026, alongside the ongoing development of Stockport as a destination for shopping, leisure and family days out.