Hammerson gears up for city centre Fanzones for Official Team GB and ParalympicsGB

Hammerson is pleased to announce that three of its city centre destinations Bullring (Birmingham), Cabot Circus (Bristol) and Westquay (Southampton) have been selected as part of nine nationwide Official Team GB and ParalympicsGB Fanzones.

Situated in the heart of the city, the Hammerson destinations will host the Official Team GB and ParalympicsGB Fanzones, which will broadcast the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, respectively, on large outdoor screens run by Ocean Outdoor. The activation will include guest appearances from Team GB athletes and visits from the official Team GB mascot. Wimbledon will also be broadcast on the large outdoor screen as part of Hammerson’s Summer of Sport programme.

These events will be complemented by a selection of restaurants, bars and social activities – creating an exciting space for Hammerson’s visitors and local community to enjoy.

The collaboration underpins Hammerson’s strategy to evolve its assets by broadening their use and purpose through the introduction of new concepts, brand partnerships and cultural activations. This is supported by a proactive approach to attract high-profile international occupiers, innovative brands and market firsts which attract and engage audiences and drive new revenue streams.

Kate Gwyther, Group Head of Commercialisation, Hammerson, said: “Our Summer of Sport programme demonstrates how we are working to shift the purpose of our assets by expanding the proposition. Our vision is to create multi-use destinations which offer an exciting mix of complementary social uses, from retail and entertainment to culture and art. This ultimately drives footfall, engages new audiences and attracts the new and high-profile brands you see opening across our portfolio.”

Cities remain key locations for commerce, innovation and culture, and Hammerson’s focus on placemaking has already generated an uptick in footfall and sales year-on-year across its portfolio. Highlights include:

Bullring

• The Northern Lights visit Birmingham: ‘Borealis’, an immersive light activation, captivated visitors during the February half term, pushing footfall up 9% versus 2023.
• Bringing in the night-time economy: In a market first, Bullring was transformed into a late night entertainment venue in June 2023 for Pride, featuring celebrity DJs and performers, with 500 tickets snapped up.

Cabot Circus

• Transforming carpark into a skatepark: A social media sensation, the pop-up skatepark attracted over 2,000 visitors in just seven days during October Half Term and was featured on ITV.
• Exciting customers with musical talent: 7,000 visitors descended on Cabot Circus for a pop-up gig from rapper Dizzee Rascal in celebration of his new album. This event went viral on social media and was replicated at Bullring in Birmingham on Valentine’s Day.

Westquay

• Hosting cultural events for the community: In partnership with the Chinese Association of Southampton, Westquay hosted a Chinese New Year event with calligraphy workshops, dance and martial arts performances pushing footfall up 16% versus 2023.
• The Sound of Musicals: Animating The Esplanade and the city’s historic city walls with a light and music event which attracted 62,000 visitors last October pushing footfall +11% year-on-year.

Summer of Sport programme

• Wimbledon: Mon 1 – Sun 14 July
• Olympics: Fri 26 Jul – Sun 11 Aug
• Paralympics: Wed 28 Aug – Sun 8 Sept