SWINDON'S Designer Outlet Village is on course for visitor numbers to top a record four million by the end of the year.
Last year saw three-and-a-half million people travel from as far away as Japan and Australia to sample the bargains at the Swindon shopping showpiece.
Current figures show that traffic entering the centre's car park is up by 12 per cent on last year and with many cars containing more than one shopper, the record four million mark is a real possibility.
The figure is in stark contrast to the Steam museum next door which is in the midst of crisis over funding and visitor numbers. But Swindon Council, a major backer of the acclaimed but unprofitable museum which opened last year, insists it is taking new steps to raise its profile and end Steam's reputation as the poor relation.
Spokeswoman, Hellen Barnes, said: "Over the last six weeks, the council has been working very closely with BAA McArthurGlen owner of the Designer Outlet Village to improve signposting to Steam from the car park, and also within the outlet village.
"These are now up, and we hope they will encourage more people to visit the museum.
"The success of these signs and many other aspects of the museum are soon to be analysed through visitor questionnaires, which are being given out at Steam."
Visitor numbers at Steam were expected to reach 200,000 during its first year, but the actual figure was only half that.
A council subsidy of £470,000 was needed, and a further injection of £500,000 from the authority is expected to be needed by the end of its second year of operation.
And earlier this month, the Evening Advertiser revealed that yet more public money would be needed because building work went £2 million over budget. Building was supposed to cost the council only £1 million, with £8 million coming from lottery funds and the remaining £2 million from sponsorship. However, the increase in the final cost from £11 million to £13 million has left the council and the Heritage Lottery Fund wrangling over who should meet the shortfall.
Outlet Village spokeswoman Shelley Wright stressed that the true total of visitor numbers to the shopping centre had yet to be calculated.
But she added: "We are trading well, with traffic up by 12 per cent on last year.
"And recent research shows that the percentage of first time visitors has increased from 14 to 19 per cent over the same period.
"The Designer Outlet Village is now almost 100 per cent occupied.
"One unit remains empty, and we are currently negotiating with a prospective occupier.
"We're bringing people into the town, and that is good news for us, good news for Swindon and good news for everybody."
Ms Wright refused to be drawn on the possibility of four million visitors by the year's end, but she also refused to rule out the possibility.
Meanwhile, Reebok has become the latest brand name sporting goods chain to open an outlet at the Churchward site.
In doing so it joins rivals Nike, Puma, Donnay, and another recent arrival, Adidas.
Next month sees another firm come to the centre.
The O'Brien's coffee and sandwich chain has chosen Swindon for its first venture into outlet village trading.
The Designer Outlet Village is now open for late night Christmas shopping every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday until Christmas, with the doors not closing until 8pm.
Shoppers will also be able to visit the centre on Christmas Eve between 10am and 4pm and Boxing Day between 10am and 5pm.
Various festive entertainment events arte planned for the weeks leading up to the big day.
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