Over the last year, the Morgan Quarter, made up of the Morgan and Royal arcades in Cardiff city centre, has welcomed 11 new businesses into its historic arcades.
This year doughnut shop Whocult and independent café Maple & Bean have become the latest additions to the Morgan Quarter with UK-wide restaurant Coppa Club soon to join them.
The openings of these businesses along with the likes of Lucy & Yak, Astrid & Miyu and Beyond Retro has led to a steep increase in footfall – going against the national retail trend.
A recent study by the Welsh Retail Consortium found Wales to have seen the biggest decline of retail footfall of any nation in the UK with shopping numbers declining 8% on a year earlier and 4% compared to January.
Despite these numbers, the Morgan Quarter is bucking the national trend when it comes to retail footfall statistics.
In March, the Morgan Quarter observed a 62% increase in footfall compared to the previous year – with the first week of the month seeing over 100,000 visitors across the two arcades.
The familiar shopping destination for Cardiff residents and visitors is currently at 97% capacity, with 61 of 63 units being filled.
For Whocult their new store in the Royal Arcade is their fifth, as they already have four stores across South Wales including sites at Barry’s Goodsheds and in Newport Market.
Whocult owner Scott Magill said the Morgan Quarter was the perfect place to open the brand’s fifth store.
He said:
“We were waiting for the right time and space in Cardiff, and the Morgan Quarter appeared to be the perfect location due to its central position in the city and the presence of other independent businesses, aligning well with Whocult's ethos.”
Maple & Bean is a small independent café which has one branch already, in Cowbridge. The brand was born after Abbie became frustrated with arriving for breakfast at 11:35am and being ushered onto the lunch menu. The cafe offers all-day breakfasts, pancakes and smoothies.
Abbie said:
“We still can’t quite believe we are in the Morgan Quarter – it is such a beautiful location and a stunning building.
“We are in such good company with our fellow retailers. It’s very inspiring to be surrounded by people who feel proud of their business.”
This May, Coppa Club is set to be the latest household name opening their doors in the Morgan Quarter.
Marika Jones, centre manager at Morgan Quarter, said:
“We are delighted to see a wide range of stores choosing to open in the Morgan Quarter.
“There is a distinct sense of community among the businesses here. Everyone wishes success for each other to encourage people into these special arcades.”
The Morgan Quarter is open seven days a week between 8am-6pm Monday to Saturday and 10am-5pm on Sunday.
