The UK’s 10 biggest shopping centres ranked – with two in the same city

One city boasts two shopping centres in a list of the UK’s 10 biggest malls, a new study has found.

Student accommodation centre uhomes.com compiled lists of both the largest and best shopping areas for people attending university in the UK.

Topping the list of the country’s most colossal malls is Westfield London, which opened its doors in 2008. The 235,900-square-metre shopping centre has become a major hub in West London, and is also the biggest in Europe.

Offering 450 stores from high-end labels to cheaper, student-friendly budget-friendly options, the firm also named Westfield London as the nation’s best.

Newcastle’s Intu Metrocentre, AKA MetroCentre, was the runner-up, with a square footage of 192,900. Though the company noted it’s not in the centre of the city, it praised the site’s accessible layout, five colour-coded shopping zones to make navigating around easy for shoppers. 

unhomes.com also ranked it as the second-best shopping centre in Britain. 

Greater Manchester‘s Trafford Centre was found to be the third biggest, at over 188,000 square feet. The firm also gave it the fourth spot in its top 10 best, pointing to its unusual baroque architecture, and food court – which is the largest in Europe.

London made its second appearance in size ranking, with Westfield Stratford City in East London taking fourth at 184,100 square metres.

The mega-mall has 250 shops and around 80 dining options, according to Westfield’s website, and is a short walk from East Village, Stratford Station, and Stratford International Station.

Bluewater in Greenhithe, Kent, came fifth in terms of scale at 169,200 m2, with some 330 stores. It also ranked as the third best, with the study authors noting its beautiful surroundings, 50 acres of verdant trees, parks, and serene lakes.

The study picked the best shopping hubs based on “whether the mall’s objectives and design align with global, country, and local needs, policies, and priorities”. It also considered “adaptability to changing circumstances”, their proximity to residential areas, transportation hubs, and other traffic, as well as the facilities and amenities on offer.

The latter was based on an assessment of the contenders’ security, restrooms, seating areas, and family-friendly amenities. 

Read on to see the full list of the nation’s 10 biggest shopping centres. 

Shopping Centres ranked by size (sq. metres)

1. Westfield London, Shepherd’s Bush, London – 235,900
2. Metrocentre, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear – 192,900
3. Trafford Centre Trafford, Greater Manchester – 188,000
4. Westfield Stratford City, Stratford, London – 184,100
5. Bluewater, Greenhithe, Kent – 169,200
6. Bullring Estate, Birmingham – 163,000
7. St James Quarter, New Town, Edinburgh – 158,000
8. Manchester Arndale, Manchester – 155,200
9. Merry Hill, Dudley, West Midlands – 155,200
10. Liverpool One, Liverpool – 154,000