Tenders for 13 brand new units and three pop-up locations under the £80million transformation of Stansted Airport’s international departure lounge have been released to market today (available to trade in from August 2015).

 

Stansted (STN) is London’s third largest airport, serving over 18 million passengers a year, operating from a single terminal building and with passenger numbers increasing on average 6% each month. According to STN, by this time next year circa 10million departing passengers are forecast to pass in front of each and every retail unit as they prepare to head away, with passenger numbers only set to continue growing.

 

It was in June 2013, that Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, Chairman of Manchester Airports Group (MAG), Mike Davies OBE and Stansted Airport MD, Andrew Harrison launched the £80m project to overhaul Stansted airport; the biggest transformation since the terminal opened in 1991.

 

As reported, phase one of the new departure lounge opens this Summer for passengers, followed by new cafes, bars and restaurants open by Spring 2015.

 

“Released now are 16 more exciting opportunities for the retail industry to get involved in,” says the operator. “Leading high street brands have already expressed interest and other target markets include high end fashion, accessories, footwear, jewellery, lingerie and gifting.”

 

Above and below: Design concepts for the new area that will be dedicated to the wide range of cafes, bars and restaurants due to open next year.

 

STN says the new departure lounge is being extended by over 60% in terms of floor space, and with unit sizes ranging between 55sqm and 375sqm, opportunities exist at Stansted to ‘a far wider audience’ in travel retail.

 

The primary aim of the departure lounge transformation is to improve services and facilities for passengers and offer a wide and varied choice of retail options from traditional travel retail, mid and high-end fashion, accessories, well known luxury brands as well as new and unique concepts offering ‘something just a little bit different’.

 

Leading the tender process for Stansted owners MAG, Head of Retail Steve Foster said: “The retail offer is an essential part of any airport experience and we want to not only deliver a great retail solution through this major transformation of the international departure lounge at Stansted but offer something different in the London market.

 

Steve Foster, MAG Head of Retail.

 

“Expressions of interest are already in from several leading retailers but with 13 units and 3 pop up retail islands available we’re also keen to encourage interest from high street brands that have little or no experience of the airport retail market so that we can demonstrate the exciting opportunity (and guaranteed footfall) that this sector can present.

 

“Stansted is London’s third largest airport operating from a single terminal building.  With only one departure lounge and a terminal re-design that takes all departing passengers on a defined path past each retail unit, the opportunity exists for retailers to enjoy circa 10 million guaranteed footfall from day one trading – more than many shopping centres up and down the country – and those passenger numbers are set to increase in the years ahead.

 

“This is a very exciting development to be part of and we’re looking forward to speaking to both proven airport operators but also to exciting high street brands who are yet to venture into the world of airport retailing, to ensure we deliver the right balance for our passengers.”

 

For further information on the tender opportunities email Steve Foster at [email protected]