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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Sarah Butler

Zip wires, darts, wild swimming: why shopping centres are trying new ways to bring in customers

Person on zip wire in orange jacket with arms spread out with trees and buildings below
Leisure mall? A person on a zip wire at Bluewater in Kent. Photograph: supplied

There was a time when the most active thing to do at a shopping centre was jostle to the front of the queue at Primark. These days, however, developers are bringing in sport and health-related activities from zip wires to cricket, football, rock climbing and even wild swimming to draw in consumers and use space no longer wanted by retailers.

While the trend for competitive socialising, such as crazy golf, darts or bowling is well established and gyms are commonplace in shopping centres, landlords are getting more creative and adventurous in the type of activity they are offering as they battle lacklustre interest in physical shopping.

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