The rowdy antics and drunken debauchery of students may not always be welcomed, but Manchester city centre retailers have attributed uni-goers’ return to a 6% rise in sales last month.
Heart of Manchester Business Improvement District (BID), which conducted the research, said students get essentials such as clothes, stationery, books and music ready for the start of term.
And as the city is bursting with a 100,000 strong student population, spending money on new term books and new outfits has never come at a better time.
Jane Sharrocks, General Manager of Selfridges in Exchange Square and Chair of the Heart of Manchester BID said:
“Student spending power can’t be underestimated, particularly in a city which has the largest student population outside of London.
“Student numbers, combined with the pro-activeness of our retailers to harness that spend via dedicated promotions and events, has meant Manchester retail has outperformed the UK average yet again.”
Nationally, retail sales in Manchester continued to outperform the UK average during September, with a 2.6% increase each year, compared to a mere 0.7% rise nationally.
Data published by the National Union of Students (NUS) shows students splash out nearly £1billion to the city’s retailers, an average spend of £177 a week with Selfridges and the Manchester Arndale benefiting in particular.
Councillor Pat Karney, Manchester City Council’s city centre spokesman, said: “Manchester attracts students not just from all over Britain, but from all over the world, who come here because of the city’s international profile, culture and world famous nightlife as well as because of our highly esteemed academic institutions.
“Of course, our status as the UK’s biggest shopping city outside London is something else that attracts students and other visitors to the city.
“These figures show just how important our vibrant student population is to the city’s economy, and this is wonderful news to our retailers.”
Image courtesy of John Burke via Flickr, with thanks.
For more on this story and many others, follow Mancunian Matters on Twitter and Facebook.
