SHOPPING expert Martin Leatherdale has been appointed the new centre manager at Lion Walk Shopping Centre in Colchester.

The centre, which includes shops in Red Lion Yard, is visited by about four million people every three months.

Martin said: “I’m really excited to be joining the team at Lion Walk. Over the past 12 years I have developed a robust knowledge of the retail sector and I am naturally keen to bring this breadth of experience and innovation to my new role.”

“I’m proud to be part of the famous heritage of Red Lion Yard and its amazing independent shopping proposition, alongside partnering with some of the most iconic and powerful brands in the world.”

He said it was a crucial time for the town with online shopping becoming more prominent. “It’s an incredibly important time for our town, being one of the fastest growing districts in the country, whilst responding to the changing shape of retail,” he said. “We need ensure we continue to develop our offering to meet the expectations of our customers.”

With an extensive career in retail, Martin leaves a career at Tesco where he led multiple regions, projects, and commercial initiatives across Essex and London.

He said: “My initial focus will be based around three pillars of maximising service, standards and footfall.

“We will be enhancing everything from aesthetics to shopping missions, striving every day to be the ultimate shopping destination for Colchester.

“This is absolutely about giving our visitors the best experiential shopping experience we can and offering our customers a more immersive retail experience.”