St Johns Centre has been shortlisted for two national awards in its industry’s top event of the year. 

The Sceptre Awards recognise best practice in managing retail destinations around Britain.

St Johns’ Director Neil Ashcroft has been shortlisted for Manager of the Year for a medium venue; and St Johns Car Park is a finalist in Car Park of the Year. 

Neil’s nomination was based on managing an unprecedented episode in St Johns’ 55-year history – and successfully delivering exceptional results.

The challenges began with the demise of Wilko followed by the sudden closure of the Council-controlled St Johns Market, leaving over half of the upper mall unoccupied.

The market closure led to public confusion and the misconception that the whole St Johns Centre had closed – resulting in footfall plummeting by 25%. 

An extensive, targeted marketing campaign led to a 33% upward swing in visitors, a trend that continued and contributed to an additional 700,000 visitors, compared with the previous year.

In the last year, the St Johns Car Park has smashed income targets and has been recognised for the vital role it plays in supporting the commercial success of the shopping centre and the wider city region. 

It is now the number one e-com car park worldwide – using an automatic number plate recognition system for subscribers. Adopting the system surpassed all expectations with 55,000 users, and still building at a rate of over 2,000 new subscribers per month, helped by a fixed 24-hour £6 rate for those who register. 

The car park success has led to significantly more people flowing into the shopping centre from a wider demographic of commuters and theatre goers.

Neil Ashcroft said: “It is a fantastic tribute to all the St Johns team that we have been shortlisted for two of our industry’s most prestigious awards. I would like to pay tribute to my hard working, dedicated colleagues for their achievements over the past year – St Johns has lots to celebrate in our 55th anniversary year.”

The Sceptre Awards take place on 9 October at the Royal Lancaster in London.