Alpha named as preferred bidder at Newcastle

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UK retailer wins seven-year contract

Alpha Retail has been awarded preferred bidder status to provide duty- and tax-free shopping at Newcastle International airport, under a seven-year contract.

The company has operated the existing airport store for the last 15 years. It will now operate in a larger 500sq m (5,380sq ft) store being developed as part of Newcastle's terminal development programme. It will introduce the Alpha Airport Shopping concept with an investment of £825,000 ($1.2m).

Alpha Airport Shopping managing director David King said: "Alpha has a long standing relationship with Newcastle International, so we are delighted to be part of its master plan, through to 2011. We will be working in partnership with Newcastle to ensure that its customers experience the very best in airport shopping, in line with the airport's vision of being the number one departure choice in the north-east."

Newcastle International commercial director Mike Luddy said: "We have a really exciting retail development programme, work for which is well under way. This we believe will offer our customers the most varied and highest quality shopping environment of any UK regional airport of our size. We were really impressed by Alpha's bid and having seen some of their most recent stores in the UK, we are confident that they will deliver a superb offer within our new development."

Newcastle International expects to handle close to 5m passengers during 2004, an increase of 28% on 2003.