Ashford Designer Outlet is set to reach full occupancy for the first time since its £90m extension opened six years ago, bosses say.

Fifty units were added to the McArthurGlen-owned complex in 2019, taking the total number of shops beyond 100.

Almost half of the new spots were unoccupied when the extension launched, and the centre has failed to reach 100% occupancy since.

But bosses say a number of new additions in the coming weeks will see every unit filled for the first time since 2018.

Centre manager Peter Heritage, 42, says 98% of the centre’s 111 units are currently used.

“The fact we’ll have those empty units filled soon makes us very happy,” he said.

“It would have been nice to have been fully occupied a year or two earlier, like we last were in 2018.

“But the dynamic has changed over the years and we had less units then - the foundation of today’s success was building the extension and making it more than just a shopping destination.”

Mr Heritage says new upcoming arrivals include Cornish Bakery, which will launch next Monday (November 10), eight years after it was last at the centre.

Toy company Playmobil and Pepe Jeans are also set to join this month, as well as another unnamed clothing brand.

“We’ve had some really great stores open recently such as women’s fashion brand, Joseph, while Cadbury joined two weeks ago and has been very popular so far,” Mr Heritage added.

“Calendar Club - a pop-up for Christmas - has also just arrived while New Zealand clothing brand, Rodd & Gunn, has not long opened too.”

Mr Heritage says footfall “isn’t quite where it was pre-Covid”, and thinks the loss of McDonald’s in 2018 has been a key factor.

“People used to come here just for that,” he said.

“But opening the expansion was huge - it was the biggest development in 25 years here.

“Every year on the back of Covid has been a record year in terms of turnover.”

Mr Heritage became centre manager two years ago, having joined the site in 2017.

He says the centre has seen a dip in the number of shoppers from Europe - a drop he believes has been caused by a combination of Brexit, Covid and Eurostar not stopping in Kent since 2020.

“Prior to Covid, about 10% came from Europe - now it’s about 4%,” he said.

“Only 13% of our customers also live in Ashford, so 87% are coming from outside the area overall and 60% from outside Kent.

“That’s why it’s been positive news about a possible competitor to Eurostar, which we would warmly welcome.”

The struggles facing Ashford town centre are blamed by many on the opening of the outlet in 2000, but Mr Heritage says the development has improved the town’s fortunes.

“Of course people still talk about whether we impact the town centre, but 74% of those who work here are from Ashford and we have close to 2,000 people in total,” he said.

“That will increase further when we have full occupancy, so we believe we are a positive impact on the local economy.

“Ralph Lauren and Hugo Boss will not trade in the town centre, while brands like North Face have come here after we listened to survey feedback about what people wanted to see.”

The outlet’s second Christmas market launched in the extension on Saturday, and will run until January 1.

It includes 13 stalls, four more than last year’s offering.

Meanwhile, Ashford Borough Council is yet to decide on plans for a 33-metre high Ferris wheel in the centre’s main car park.

The scheme has sparked privacy concerns, with 21 people objecting on the council’s planning portal, while eight have shown support.