ITV plans to open a first-of-its-kind “big brand immersive leisure attraction” at the Lowry in Salford next year.
Lifestyle Outlets, a developer of leisure and experience-led retail destinations, announced the partnership with the media company.
Lifestyle Outlets currently have two operational centres – Gloucester Quays in the heart of the Cotswolds and Lowry Outlet at the heart of MediaCity UK – offering a mixed space consisting of retail, leisure and entertainment.
Rufus Radcliffe, Chief Marketing Officer at ITV, said: “We are delighted to confirm the Lowry’s new Watergardens development in Manchester will become home to an exciting new leisure attraction, which is set to open next summer, with an ITV big brand experience at its heart.”
After planning was granted in March this year, work has already started on “The Watergardens” – a project that will transform the southern waterfront into a leisure destination offering a new 30,000 sq ft restaurant terrace.
A new Metrolink line opening next year is also expected to bring people to the area.
Having ITV as an anchor tenant is part of a wider £26m project that plans to turn the Lowry into a leading leisure and retail destination, along with the opening of a new waterside dining concept in 2020.
ITV’s immersive experiences portfolio already includes Coronation Street The Tour, Emmerdale Village Tour, Emmerdale Studio Experience, This Morning Live and the more recently announced, ITV Daytime Studios Tour at Television Centre in London.
Jason Pullen, Managing Director of Lifestyle Outlets said: “Lifestyle Outlets are at the forefront of creating the next generation of outlets and this exciting partnership with ITV will reinforce our position of delivering leading retail and leisure destinations with immersive leisure attractions”.
This model is already proving successful with more than 12 million visitors and a 10% growth in sales in 2018/2019.
