Official footfall figures confirm that the Horsefair had a great year with the Centre receiving 2.1% more visitors that it did in 2013. This figure bucks the national trend as footfall figures for all UK shopping centres were down by 0.8% which reiterates the Horsefair’s success.

This was undoubtedly boosted by the arrival of new stores such as national chains Costa Coffee, Burger King and Vodafone, as well as local fast food outlet V & P Foods.

The Centre holds a firm place in the heart of the community. As part of this, in 2014 they hosted their ever-popular annual Easter and Halloween events, as well as a pirate fun day in August to entertain children during the summer holidays. The Horsefair also raised over £600 by holding two car boot sales to help local charities Scotty’s Little Soldiers and the Wisbech Lions Club.

Offering more to the community remained at the forefront of the centre’s activity last year when shoppers were invited to take part in competitions to win fantastic prizes. “Horsefair Selfies” was a huge success with shoppers taking a selfie with Horsefair signage visible and uploading it to Facebook using the centre’s free Wi-Fi to win a brand new smartphone. A car sticker initiative was also launched in December to give shoppers the chance to win more prizes, something which will continue throughout 2015 with one car being chosen at random each month.

Visitors to the Centre will have also noticed changes to the Horsefair’s facilities with new signage being installed around the exterior of the car park to help draw in new shoppers. 2014 also saw the long awaited re-opening of the Centre’s toilets, which are now barrier operated.

Centre Manager at the Horsefair, Kevin Smith, commented: “2014 was a fantastic year for everyone at the Horsefair. We do everything we can to attract people to Wisbech and the Centre so that we can help boost the local economy. Whether it be opening new stores, holding events or improving facilities like our Free WiFi, we are always looking to offer more to our shoppers. Our success wouldn’t be possible without the support of local people so thank you everyone. We look forward to seeing you back at the Horsefair in 2015!”

The Horsefair’s success continued in 2014 with the Centre’s personnel receiving national recognition and awards. The Horsefair’s security officer, Roger Vanhinsbergh, won a national award from the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) in July for his continued hard work over his seven years at the centre. Additionally, Kevin Smith won two Centre Manager of the Year awards from both New River Retail and Workman Retail, as well as a certificate of commendation for the SCEPTRE Marketing Manager of the Year.