London’s West End has been ranked the top centre in the UK to expand into based on potential annual spend from residents, tourists and workers in 2012.

The area, which takes in shopping Meccas Oxford Street and Regent Street, came top in CACI’s Retail Dimensions report. It found that £4.7bn is likely to be spent on non-food items in 2012.

Glasgow came second with Manchester coming in third.

They were followed by Birmingham (4), Liverpool (5), Westfield London (6), Leeds (7), Nottingham (8), Knightsbridge in London (9), and Bluewater (10).

Colchester came last (50) in the rankings.

The report also broke down the data to worker spend and tourist spend (see below).

CACI consulting partner Paul Langston said: “Increasingly, we’re seeing a divergence between the top centres and the rest of the country, and retailers have to make sure they’re in the right place, or face losing out. 

“This year, London’s West End stretched out its lead.  It has nearly double the spend of any other centres from workers, well over double the spend for tourists and a clear lead over Glasgow, the second placed overall centre by spending. 

“There’s also a real disparity in centres’ long term health, with far fewer retail destinations that are likely to thrive over the coming years being based in the north. 

“Moreover, the north-west in particular has a shortage of centres that we believe will be top destinations over the next few years, and a high number that could struggle to support non-food spend.” 

 

Top 50 GB Centres

Ranked on total annual comparison spend from residents, tourists and workers. Excluding online spend.

RankNameExpenditure £m
1London West End£4,770
2Glasgow£1,940
3Manchester£1,800
4Birmingham£1,640
5Liverpool£1,370
6Westfield London£1,250
7Leeds£1,180
8Nottingham£1,150
9London - Knightsbridge£1,150
10Bluewater£1,090
11Westfield Stratford City£1,060
12Edinburgh£1,020
13London - Covent Garden£1,010
14Meadowhall£980
15Newcastle upon Tyne£970
16Norwich£970
17Trafford Centre£950
18Milton Keynes£940
19Bristol£910
20Kingston upon Thames£890
21Leicester£870
22Brighton£790
23Reading£780
24Cardiff£760
25     London - Kings Road£700
26     Bath£680
27Aberdeen£680
28Sheffield£670
29Croydon£660
30Gateshead Metrocentre£660
31Southampton£650
32Cambridge£640
33Dudley - Merry Hill£630
34Derby£620
35Plymouth£610
36Brent Cross£590
37Bromley£570
38Exeter£560
39Thurrock Lakeside£550
40Cribbs Causeway£540
41York                      £530
42Cheltenham£500
43Bicester Village£500
44Hull£490
45     Oxford£480
46Guildford£460
47Ipswich£460
48Watford£460
49Chester£450
50Colchester              £440

 

Top 10 Worker Spend

RankName Expenditure £m
1London - West End £360
2London - Canary Wharf £200
3Glasgow£120
4Manchester£120
5City of London - Cheapside £110
6City of London - Fenchurch Street £90
7London – Victoria£90
8Leeds £80
9Birmingham £70
10City of London - Broadgate £60

 

Top 10 Tourist Spend

Rank Name Expenditure £m
1London - West End £1,750
2London - Knightsbridge £760
3London - Covent Garden £510
4London - King’s Road £400
5Manchester £350
6Glasgow£350
7Edinburgh £240
8Birmingham £220
9Westfield London £200
10Bath £190

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