Marion Acreman has played a key role in the success of the retail development since her appointment ten years ago.

MacDonagh Junction is Kilkenny’s leading residential, commercial business and leisure quarter. The development includes Irish and international retailers and features in excess of one hundred luxury apartments, forty top quality retail units, a landmark office building, restaurants, performance space and a community youth centre.

Its anchor tenants include Dunnes Stores, H&M, River Island, Next and TK Maxx. Lambert Smith Hampton, Ireland manages the centre.

The Sceptre Awards, which are seen as the pre-eminent accolades in the national shopping centre industry turn the spotlight on the management teams, retailers and suppliers which are demonstrating excellence. 

Speaking of Ms Acreman’s performance, the judges said: “Results driven and leading by example, Marion has driven increases in turnover, footfall, car park usage, dwell time, social media engagement and website visits, all without increasing the service charge. Marion expects excellence from her team and recognises exceptional service and standards. To achieve this she has implemented centre wide performance reports, staff objectives and feedback loops.”

Ms Acreman said: “It is fantastic to win this award and I see it very much as a reflection of the work put in by the entire staff and agency teams rather than an individual award. The centre has enjoyed many new and exciting achievements in the past year with additions to the tenant mix and the opening of several creative pop up stores.

“The scheme came out on top of the customer excellence review from the LSH Customer Excellence Programme, launched as Ireland's first age friendly shopping centre and was awarded best commercial centre in the Keep Kilkenny Beautiful Awards. The entire staff team work with customers in mind and the frequent positive customer and tenant feedback we receive echoes this.”

Marion is currently working on an exciting project centred on the heritage of the site as the former Kilkenny Famine Workhouse and will launch a free visitor experience in November which will retell human stories from the 1840s linked to the beautifully restored architecture of the Workhouse.

LSH had four centre managers shortlisted for the All-Ireland Shopping Centre award, including Marion Acreman, John Jones at the Kennedy Centre, Peter Dolan, Scotch Hall and Michelle Greeves at Victoria Square.