RETAIL destinations across the north may have seen a volatile year - but Victoria Square in Belfast is firmly in step with what the public wants according to its manager Michelle Greeves.
And Michelle, who has overseen everything from the recent £5 million refurbishment of House to Fraser to the installation of 217 trees and 90,000 lights for the festive blitz, is in celebratory mood after footfall in November soared by 15 per cent.
Sales figures for the month also saw a similar increase - up 15.9 per cent - following a buoyant year on the letting front, with only a handful of leases currently available for new business.
It all makes for a positive pre-Christmas report for the busy manager who has clocked up almost three years in the top post - and her fourth Christmas - with the centre part of this year's combined marketing initiative which predicts a minimum £10 million spend across the city.
The campaign, part of an ongoing investment from Victoria Square - alongside Belfast City Council, Visit Belfast, Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce, Belfast One and Castlecourt Shopping Centre - aims to generate additional visitor numbers and increased tourism over Christmas and the New Year period.
In her quiet office tucked high above the hustle of activity in the 80-plus brands based in the award-winning centre, Michelle is in no doubt that brand exclusivity and continual re-investment by stores are the main ingredients of success for the centre owned by German investment bank, Commerz Real.
"We are also seeing an increase in the number of people visiting from the Republic and that is mainly down to premium product offerings and first-to-market brands, as well as the favourable exchange rates," she says.
"I think the fact there is such a good mix of brands is also a vital component, as well as the overall visitor experience. People don't come here just to shop, but to eat, visit the monthly craft fair, go the cinema, meet friends and attend various events - there is always something going on.
"The streetscape design of Victoria Square is also architecturally very beautiful - the dome really does change the skyline of the city, so, aesthetically, it draws people in."
Managing a centre which provides work for around 3,000 people is always a challenge - but an interesting one for the 46 year-old whose daily routine can range from poring over monthly reports and analysing customer surveys to dealing with blocked pipes and leaks.
"I love the change of routine and meeting the managers of all the stores to discuss marketing strategies and what has worked and what hasn't," she says. "Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of contact with the shoppers face-to-face, so that is why our monthly surveys are important.
"I want to know what we could do better, how we can improve on the experience for everyone who visits. We are doing really well, but we don't yet have every shopper in Northern Ireland - and that is our aim.
"Lots of people have visited once, maybe twice, but some have never visited at all and those are the people we target in every new ad campaign."
A veteran in retail, she left her home in Kells at the age of 20 to find her first job in England.
"You had to travel out of Northern Ireland to find a good job in retail back then," she recalls.
"I worked with House of Fraser for 23 years in total, starting in Manchester and ending back in Northern Ireland, managing the store here. I had found my dream job - and I'm still in it."
And, despite the growing competition from online shopping, she believes hands-on shopping is here to stay - purely for the pleasure it provides, as well as the benefits derived from dealing with experienced sales advisors.
"Online shopping has its place within the sector, and it is a certainly a huge part of the market at Victoria Square, but I rarely do it myself," she adds.
"It is a soulless experience and will never replicate the enjoyment of meeting friends for lunch and having a look around the shops."
