A major investment programme at Enniskillen’s Erneside Shopping Centre is already delivering a boost to the town’s retail sector, with footfall increasing by 33 per cent since refurbishment work began earlier this year.
The shopping centre, which has served the Fermanagh town for more than 30 years, is undergoing a significant transformation aimed at revitalising the retail destination and attracting new businesses and shoppers.
The redevelopment follows the £12.4 million purchase of Erneside last December by the owners of Rushmere Shopping Centre in Craigavon, with a renewed focus on improving the centre and strengthening its position within Enniskillen town centre.
Since March, extensive refurbishment work has been carried out, including the installation of new flooring, ceilings, furniture and toilet facilities. The project is expected to be completed by the end of this year, with two redesigned entrances also planned.
Further improvements are expected around the shopping centre’s footbridge as part of wider efforts to modernise the site.
Speaking to The Irish News, Erneside Centre Manager Lindsey Peters described the past nine months as “amazing” and a “complete whirlwind”.
Ms. Peters, who joined the centre in October last year, said the refurbishment had given the premises a much-needed new lease of life.
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She said: “We’ve refurbed the whole place; all the ceilings have been redone, all the floors have been redone, the toilets have been redone, it’s a complete refurb.
“There was no money being spent on it for quite a while. It just had no love in it anymore.”
The investment appears to be having an immediate impact, with Ms. Peters confirming that visitor numbers have increased by a third, despite no new tenants having been announced so far.
She also praised the response from local shoppers, who continued to support businesses throughout the construction work.
“There was a couple of months where there were no tiles on the floor and it was concrete and there was scaffolding and things like that and everybody was just so positive,” she said.
“We didn’t have any complaints; everyone just seeing what the bigger picture was and so we were so thankful to the public for really standing by us and getting through it with us.”
The transformation has also been welcomed by Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP Pat Cullen, who praised the investment and the efforts to create a more attractive shopping environment.
The Sinn Féin MP said her social media that it is "little surprise that footfall at Erneside is up by a third!
“The shopping centre has been transformed and is now a much more welcoming space for shoppers and families. The effort that went into Halloween and now the fantastic Christmas decorations really adds to the experience.:
“Great to see the investment paying off and credit to the new owners for the work they have done.”
The next stage of the centre’s development will focus on attracting new retailers, with Ms Peters indicating that discussions are already underway with major brands ahead of 2027.
She said the owners were working to secure a strong mix of tenants, pointing to the success of their investment at Rushmere as an indication of their ambitions for Enniskillen.
The refurbishment comes amid wider discussion about the future of retail in the town, particularly following plans by M&S to relocate from Erneside to a new-build premises at Lakeland Retail Park on the outskirts of Enniskillen.
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