It may be something you’ve never even thought about before but did you know that whilst you’re browsing through our stores here at Hempstead Valley, our team of over 40 staff are doing everything in their power to make your visit a very pleasurable and enjoyable one…?  If you’re interested in hearing more, read on to see who some of the faces are behind your Centre Management team…

Hempstead Valley is a 25 acre site with 2,200 free car parking spaces, 51 shops, a food court and a whole variety of additional services and promotions. We work with our tenants to help them trade successfully and the role of the centre management team is to help present the best possible setting.

It is a challenging and rewarding role managing a shopping centre and requires a strong team to do so. There is always a lot going on behind the scenes that we like customers not to be aware of so that they can enjoy their visit to the centre in the safe, secure and hassle free environment that we aim to provide.

 I have been employed at the Centre for over 27years. I started my career as a Security Liaison person assisting the security team in running a new Centre Security control room. My administration and typing skills were soon recognized and my career soon developed.

During the mid 1980s I was appointed as a marketing and promotions coordinator and managed the site promotional events and marketing budgets.

During 2002 I was promoted to Deputy Centre Manager and I now enjoy a completely different and varied management role assisting the Centre Manager in running a 25 acre retail site.

"My job is very varied but I do spend a lot of time at the computer!  I look after a lot of the budgets and charges but if you ask the other members of the team what the most important part of my job is, they would probably say making sure that they are paid!  I also assist our Centre Manager and Deputy Centre Manager on a variety of projects."

"My role is exciting and very varied – no two days are the same.  I enjoy talking to retailers and promoting their brands and marketing the centre in local papers, on radio, poster sites as well as around the centre.  I organise centre events, Christmas displays, PR, community and charity stands and manage the marketing budgets amongst other things."

"Talking to customers is another important part of my job. Finding out what customers like (or dislike) and what they would like to see at Hempstead Valley is key in maintaining the popularity of the centre."

I am responsible for maintenance and the health and safety at the site; I also control and manage outside contractors.   Both one of my team members and myself are qualified electricians and I hold the IOSH qualification. So from the small job of changing a light bulb to more technical repairs and maintenance of a generator, the expertise of the Technical Service Department is fully utilised.