SHOPPING complex Abbeycentre said it was close to full capacity after welcoming two new retailers.
Jewellers Pandora and outdoor shop Trespass are the latest to acquire new units at the centre in Newtownabbey
Meanwhile, Holland & Barrett, Vogue and Argento, have relocated and upsized into larger units.
The centre said the units would result in a " a significant number of full and part time jobs".
Centre manager Mark Stewart said: “We are pleased to welcome the arrival of two new national retailers to Abbeycentre. Both are well-known brands who will add to our already diverse tenant mix. Existing tenants Holland & Barrett, Vogue and Argento have taken larger units, leaving only one unit to let.
“We are in the process of completing external refurbishment works, refreshing our brand and improving our car parking facilities to offer consumers a more complete shopping experience.
"Over the past 12 months we have seen an increase in footfall and hope these new tenants and improvements to the centre will continue to bring our shoppers back over and over again."
And Emma Mackenzie, director at NewRiver Retail, owners of the Abbeycentre said there were more developments in store.
“We have also started on site to create a 45,000 sq ft store for Next, which will span over four floors, so there are exciting times ahead for the centre and our customers. The Next development is progressing as scheduled and it is due to be open for Christmas 2016.”
Jonathan Martin, an associate director at Lambert Smith Hampton which acts as joint leasing agents with McMullen Wilson added: “The centre is nearly at full occupancy, with only one unit to let remaining and we are in advanced negotiations on this space.
“Improving market conditions and renewed consumer confidence has meant that there are a number of retailers considering Northern Ireland for the first time, which is a positive sign and we can look towards 2016 with a strong degree of optimism."
