In the second of our three-part series looking at the rise of the nighttime economy in shopping centres, Gareth Soar, Partner at Workman, asks how new technologies help property managers maximise the emerging opportunities, as reported by Retail Destination.

While retail investment of shopping centres declined to 8.6 billion euros by the end of 2024, rental and capital growth, as well as return investment, is predicted to increase to 7.2% by 2028. Investment yields of UK shopping centres has also been growing, reaching over 10% on the local level in 2024. With the considered application of new technologies for greater efficiency, shopping centres can be made even more profitable.

Technology in various forms has been proven to help transform schemes into safe and efficient spaces for the night-time economy.

Real-time tracking systems such as ShopperTrak monitor visitor numbers, enabling managers to assess peak hours, optimise staffing, and ensure safety compliance.

Digital platforms streamline the collection and analysis of sales data, facilitating performance assessments and data-driven decision-making such as solutions that simplify turnover reporting, and provide insights into retailers’ performance.

Intelligent security systems, such as advanced CCTV with panoramic views and infrared monitoring, bolster safety during nighttime operations. These technologies aid in loss prevention and provide real-time surveillance capabilities that can reassure the local community.

Bespoke communication platforms facilitate seamless interactions between property managers and occupiers, fostering community engagement, enabling real-time communication and community building around the local centre.

Energy-saving technologies, such as Workman’s IBOS, help to manage night-time operations more efficiently. At one Workman-managed centre, the application of IBOS has led to £13,000 energy cost savings as efficiencies have been created specifically to match with the operation of systems over longer time periods.

By integrating these technologies, property managers can effectively enhance the nighttime economy of shopping centres, ensuring safety, an improved visitor experience, operational efficiency, which can often lead to cost-savings and far more favourable returns for owners.

Here we look at four shopping centres and ask how they are deploying tech to improve property management.

1. Touchwood, Solihull

At Touchwood Solihull, technology plays a significant role in facilitating delivery apps like Uber Eats and Deliveroo, which now account for up to a third of some restaurants’ trade at the centre. Touchwood has responded by creating dedicated delivery routes through the scheme, and working closely with these platforms to optimise access and efficiency.

Security is another critical component: the centre’s security team now uses body cameras, which serve as both a practical tool and a behavioural deterrent. “When people know their behaviour is being recorded, it can often help manage that behaviour,” explains Tony Elvin, Centre Director.

2. Great Northern, Manchester

Great Northern employs innovative noise monitoring techniques – with security teams deploying mobile sound meters to ensure noise levels remain below 70 decibels, creating a quantifiable approach to managing potential disruptions.

“It’s not very loud in the grand scheme of things, but it sets the bar for noise management,” says Mark Schofield, Centre Director.

3. Putney Exchange, London

As part of our ongoing commitment to innovation and client service, Workman has deployed the Coyote property management platform at Putney Exchange Shopping Centre to has transformed how the property management team works together with the on-site team. Coyote gathers, analyses, and presents operational data, allowing us to respond more dynamically to the changing demands of the night-time economy. For example:

• Share concise, data-led reports with our client, evidencing how evening trade is contributing to overall centre performance and tenant engagement.
• Respond quickly to tenant queries around service charge allocations and operational support during night-time hours, thanks to up-to-date tenancy and budget data.

This tech-driven insight has allowed us to adjust staffing rosters, enhance late-night safety protocols, and support tenant initiatives aimed at engaging with the night-time economy. By combining on-the-ground expertise with live digital reporting, Coyote is helping us to ensure that Putney Exchange thrives not just during the day, but well into the evening too.

4. Silverburn, Glasgow

The Building Technology team at Workman has deployed its Intelligent Building Operating System (IBOS) in over 100 locations across all sectors of the built environment since its launch in 2021 – incorporating both major retail destinations and shopping centres. This includes the 1,500,000 sq. ft flagship shopping centre Silverburn in Glasgow, which Workman has managed since 2022.

This roll-out has produced meaningful and quantifiable reductions in energy consumption across the retail sector, leading to more energy efficient and affordable shopping schemes. IBOS is designed to enable the automation and optimisation of any asset’s operation; utilising IoT technology, environmental sensors, and effective data analytics systems.  Responding to the growing requirement from institutional investors to reduce operating costs, meet net zero targets and a need to measure their portfolio’s utilities usage at an asset-by-asset level, IBOS enables clients to remotely monitor all utility, comfort, air quality, and lighting systems 24/7 within installed schemes.

Automated systems have traditionally seen broader implementation across office and industrial sector schemes due to typically larger and more uniform floor plates and unit sizes, which facilitate efficient installation. Retail units, characterized by smaller and more fragmented layouts, have seen limited adoption. Nonetheless, the retail sector is now a rapidly expanding market for IBOS, with proactive investors such as Eurofund increasingly incorporating energy efficiency into their property management strategies.

At Silverburn in Glasgow – where IBOS has been operating since May 2024 – the system has reduced energy consumption by 10% compared to the same period last year, and has produced a cost saving of nearly £13,000. This increased efficiency has resulted in a carbon saving of nearly nine tonnes of CO2 equivalent – significantly improving the centre’s ESG performance.

As UK shopping centres evolve beyond traditional retail to focus on leisure, competitive socialising, food, and beverage, the nighttime economy will become increasingly vital as a focus for owners.

Today’s shopping centres are entertainment hubs, with bars, restaurants, e-sports lounges, and social gaming experiences driving footfall. Technology is at the heart of this, playing a crucial role in helping property managers optimise operations, enhance customer experiences, and boost revenue.

Find out more: Retail & Leisure Property Management