McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Neumünster is on track to open its second phase this autumn - three years after the centre opened as the largest designer outlet in Northern Germany.

The new phase provides space for an additional 35 new stores and an expansion of the centre’s gastronomic offer. This will help to reinforce McArthurGlen Neumünster’s position as a flagship centre not just for Northern Germany, but also for Northern Europe.

With an additional 7,000 sq m of gross lettable area (5,000 sq m of sales space) in this new phase, the centre will offer a total 27,000 sq m GLA (20,000 sq m sales space) and 130 stores.

This follows the opening of 28 new stores over the last two years, including, Versace, Polo Ralph Lauren, Polo Ralph Lauren Children, Furla, Ben Sherman, North Face and Zwilling. These sought-after brands joined the likes of Escada, Guess, Hackett, Hugo Boss, Marc Cain, Nike, Pollini, Superdry and 7 for All Mankind.

The new phase will expand the gastronomic offer to extend the day-out appeal of the centre. Cafes and restaurants currently include seafood restaurant Nordsee, Marché, Starbucks and the bakery Tackmann.

Henrik Madsen, McArthurGlen’s Managing Director for Northern Europe, says: “We have seen a strong interest from brands in the expansion of McArthurGlen Neumünster. The opening will underpin the centre as the flagship designer outlet for Northern Europe, located on the doorstep of one of Europe’s richest metropolitan areas, and just off the A7/E45 motorway linking Scandinavia with Germany.”

The centre has seen a significant increase in shoppers from Hamburg; ease of access has been helped by a Friday and weekend shuttle bus service from Hamburg, and the centre can also be easily reached by bus from Neumünster train station. 

Meanwhile, the number of shopping tourists from neighbouring Denmark has doubled in the last two years. In terms of sales, tax-free sales doubled in 2014 compared with the previous year. There was a particularly strong increase in sales to Chinese shoppers – up around 180 per cent; the Chinese are now the No 1 tax-free shopper at the centre.

McArthurGlen Neumuenster’s network of tourism and travel partners on a local, national and international level have helped to boost tourism numbers. This is both at the centre as well as regionally in the state of Schleswig-Holstein, where the number of overnight hotel stays increased by nearly a quarter in 2013.

Henrik continues: “It is very important to work together with the local and regional tourism industry to build Neumünster and the surrounding area as a must visit tourist destination – one with beautiful countryside, close to the historic city of Hamburg, and the fashionable coastline of Sylt, while also offering great shopping.”

McArthurGlen Neumünster is a finalist in the International Council of Shopping Centre Awards 2015.The centre is a joint venture between McArthurGlen and TIAA Henderson Real Estate, on behalf of the European Outlet Mall Fund.