Media Release
2 November 2006

Staged opening for Trentham City Shopping Centre

The $60 million Trentham City Shopping Centre will open in stages from 2 December with two foodcourt operators and the 123 Dollar shop joining anchor tenants, The Warehouse and Farmers.

The 14,500 square metre enclosed shopping centre is part of a 25,500 square metre retail redevelopment of the Upper Hutt CBD, which also includes a new four-theatre cinema complex and over 500 car-parks.

Trentham City Ltd director, Lance Cottam of Christchurch, said leasing proposals are now being concluded with fashion clothing retailers involved in men’s, women’s, children’s and street/surfware, a shoe retailer, pharmacy, jeweller, music and interactive games store and gymnasium.

“Rather than wait for these retailers and businesses to come on board, we have decided to proceed with a staged opening.

“We under-estimated the time-frame retailers required to commit to tenancies and the public areas in the centre took longer than anticipated to complete to the standard and quality we specified,” said Mr Cottam.

Early in 2007, as soon as fitouts are completed, a hairdresser will open along with the remaining six food outlets in the 250-seat foodcourt.

Mr Cottam says while retail chains initially felt other Hutt Valley retail developments would service Upper Hutt, now they have their stores up and running, they recognise that Upper Hutt residents are strong supporters of their local retail sector.

Refurbishment programmes have been announced by two stores which border the Trentham City Shopping Centre. The Farmers department store has committed to a $2 million upgrade of its 4,000 square metre premises, with work beginning in July 2007.

Michael Gibbs, a Trentham City Shopping Centre director and owner of Hazelwoods, is undertaking a major refurbishment of his well known furniture store.

“Over the next four months we will expand into the Trentham City Shopping Centre, creating an additional 800 square metres of showroom space,” said Mr Gibbs.

In mid-November fashion retailer Postie Plus will open an 800 square metre store within the overall retail redevelopment and adjacent to the expanded Hazelwoods.

Lance Cottam says complimentary feedback has been received from local shoppers who have viewed the centre while shopping at The Warehouse and Farmers.

“With door counters now reinstalled, following the building work, we are seeing the customer counts on track to meet the 2.4 million per annum achieved before the extensive redevelopment work began on the shopping centre,” says Mr Cottam.

The annual Upper Hutt Christmas parade on 2 December will circle the Trentham City Shopping Centre, where Santa will take up residence throughout the pre-Christmas shopping season.

ENDS