DESTINATION
LEEDS CITY
DESTINATION
LEEDS CITY
At Network Rail, we manage the
busiest travel hubs in Great Britain,
with over 700 million people passing
through our 19 stations each year.
Under our management these stations have become
destinations; where travellers, non-travellers and the local
community can come together to shop, eat and drink.
Passenger insights – gathered annually – tap into the
passions and preferences of our customers. And our in-
house experts combine this with their knowledge of trends
and our station spaces to create the retail mix.
The result? Carefully curated shopping and dining
experiences that delight our passengers and encourage
dwell time and spend.
We are the partner of choice for retailers operating in
the travel market and our pop-up spaces provide exciting
opportunities for emerging brands.
Because our business model bases rent on a percentage
of turnover, retailer success is our success and we support
our brands to deliver their business goals in our exciting,
dynamic spaces.
Be part of the
customer journey
ON AVERAGE, OVER 700
MILLION PEOPLE PASS
THROUGH OUR 19 MANAGED
STATIONS EACH YEAR. WE
WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
BRANDS AND RETAILERS TO
CREATE EXTRAORDINARY
PLACES WHERE COMMUTERS,
WORKERS, RESIDENTS AND
LOCAL COMMUNITIES ENJOY
UNIQUE RETAIL EXPERIENCES
IN EXCITING, CONTEMPORARY
SURROUNDINGS.
Hamish Kiernan
Commercial Director
Retail
25,465 sq ft of retail
space in the heart of
Over £2.5 million
in monthly sales
44% retail unit
penetration rate
25 million visits
per year
An annual average
of £1,253 sales
per sq ft
Over 15 brands
operating within
18 units
Leeds city centre
ABOUT LEEDS CITY STATION
The second busiest station in the north
of England – and the fourth busiest in
Britain outside London – Leeds serves
over 25 million passengers each year.
Located in the centre of Yorkshire’s
largest city, the station is an important
hub on the UK rail network, being the
terminus of one branch of the East Coast
Main Line, a major stop on the Cross
Country Route, a major station for local
and regional services and at the heart
of the West Yorkshire Metro commuter
network.
The present station is built on the site
of the 1869 New Station, remodelled
and combined with Wellington Station
in 1938, rebuilt after wartime bombing
in the 1940s and further developed
in the late-1960s. Between 1999 and
2002, the station underwent a major
rebuilding project, expanding it from 12
to 17 platforms, creating a new entrance,
replacing the 1960s metal canopy with a
glass roof and expanding retail facilities.
The Grade II listed North Concourse,
considered to be the most important
piece of art deco railway architecture in
the country, was also fully restored at
this time.
Much of the station sits above a network
of Victorian brick arches, known as the
Dark Arches, which lead to the recently
redeveloped Granary Wharf area,
featuring several restaurants and bars.
There are plans to revive these arches as
a retail destination. Most of the station’s
shops are found in the North Concourse,
while the station is situated 10 minutes’
walk from Leeds’s main shopping district.
The station is also at the centre of the
Sustainable Travel Gateway scheme,
which will transform the space around
the station, including pedestrianising
New Station Street.
Leeds has higher-than-average numbers
of Convenience Cravers, who favour
grab-and-go outlets and are happy to
pay more for convenience. A good mix of
cafés and familiar food chains, as well as
branches of major supermarkets, cater
well to this crowd.
WORKING WITH
OUR TEAM
When you work with us, our dedicated team will support you every
step of the way. We’ll be a guiding light and a sounding board for your
business. We’ll check in regularly and will also support you with:
A DEDICATED
CATEGORY MANAGER
On hand to support your growth
A RETAIL
BUSINESS PARTNER
Your key link in the station
QUARTERLY MEETINGS
Networking opportunities for your unit
local business stakeholders
A RETAIL
COMMUNICATIONS HUB
To keep you updated with everything
you need to know
TRAVEL RETAIL INSIGHTS
Intelligence for your brand
MARKETING SUPPORT
A microsite and social media channel
an online magazine to highlight retail best
practice and passenger insights
Pop-up opportunities
Whether you are looking
for a space where you
can call home for life, or
a temporary resting spot,
we have bespoke solutions
available for your brand,
that can be tailored to your
requirements.
Short term “Pop-up” lettings can be
a great way to introduce your brand
or product to a new audience, raise
brand awareness, experiment with
new concepts, campaigns and drive
innovation, while allowing you to
gather useful data that can inform
for a better, more seamless customer
experience / strategy ahead of longer-
term commitment.
Our pop-up opportunities can span
from one-day to one year, depending
on the space and your individual
requirement, and depending on the
availability of space in our stations.
11
10
And we’ve
identified six
consumer groups
to enable us to
best tailor our
Leeds City
16% eager enthusiasts
This is a group that is highly influenced
by food trends and lives for a new retail
concept. They are passionate about
shopping with local brands and are
interested in getting involved with in-
station events and programmes.
14% total traditionalists
An older group, this audience stays
loyal to what they love. They are true
to their favourite brands and are
interested in getting involved with
culture and arts exhibitions in-station.
30% sociable spenders
The youngest and largest customer
segment, they’re also the biggest
spenders and because they live or
work nearby, are regular users and love
station based events.
12% environmentally engaged
Sustainability is everything for this group.
They are eagle-eyed when it comes to
retailers and their eco practices, including
more sophisticated vegan and vegetarian
options, especially when eating on-the-
go. Pop up stores, exhibitions and new
reasons to visit also appeal.
20% convenience cravers
This group prefers eat on-the-go
options and outlets – and convenience
is king. Predominantly male, they
have a higher than average household
income and will pay premium for
anything that makes life easier.
8% selective shoppers
This group likes to shop in clean and
modern surroundings but aren’t that
keen on busy station environments. As
a result, they love the idea of ‘zoning’
within a station and are particularly
interested in variety and interest when
they are purchasing something.
WHO IS USING RETAIL AT
LEEDS CITY STATION
69% are leisure visitors
8% are visitors
18% are commuting through the station
5% travelling for business trips
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MAKE OUR STATIONS
YOUR NEXT BRAND
DESTINATION
To find out more, and to see live opportunities, please
click below, or scan the QR code, and a member of the
team will be in touch.
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