News
M Core continues acquisition drive with purchase of Chesterfield retail asset
4th July 2025Sheet Anchor Evolve, part of M Core, has acquired Vicar Lane, an open-air retail destination in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. Spanning 202,000 sq ft, the asset comprises 34 units let to a mixture of fashion, food, and essential service retailers. It is also supplemented by a 400-space car park. Tenants at Vicar Lane include JD Sports, H&M, Superdrug, Iceland, River Island, and The Works. The scheme also includes civic space at St James’ Square, which features a 12 metre LED screen, and is adjacent to several regeneration projects such as the Chesterfield Waterside scheme and the future HS2 station. This follows Sheet Anchor Evolve’s recent acquisition of a 38,000 sq ft retail parade in Wimbledon from London Square. Danny O’Keefe, founding partner at Sheet Anchor Evolve, said: “Vicar Lane is a well-positioned retail destination in a town with ambition and momentum. As a long-term investor, our strength lies in our ability to invest in places, work closely with tenants and local stakeholders, and use our in-house expertise to unlock value. This is exactly the type of asset we can evolve through intensive management – enhancing its relevance to the community and supporting its role in Chesterfield’s wider regeneration.” Cited Property and GCW […]
Deals
Harry’s signs for flagship restaurant in Covent Garden
3rd July 2025Italian restaurant Harry’s has signed for a flagship site within Shaftesbury Capital’s Covent Garden Estate in London. Opening this winter at 11-12 Russell Street, Harry’s at Covent Garden will span 3,100 sq ft and feature an outdoor dining terrace on the Piazza. The restaurant’s menu will include a range of Italian dishes alongside a range of cocktails and wines. Harry’s will join a number of restaurants in the surrounding area, including Ave Mario, Balthazar, The Barbary, Delamina Townhouse, Flat Iron, Story Cellar, The Oystermen, and SUSHISAMBA. Emma Matus, head of restaurant leasing at Shaftesbury Capital, said: “The site on the historic Piazza is one of the city’s best hospitality pitches, featuring an unrivalled al fresco dining area in the very centre of Covent Garden. As a fixture of London’s culinary scene, Harry’s is the ideal brand to do this site justice, and will add an elegant and authentic dining option to the neighbourhood’s flourishing offer of high calibre operators in a one-of-a-kind atmosphere.” The signing of Harry’s follows the recent announcements that Sri Lankan street food concept ADOH! is set to open in Covent Garden this summer, while French-Japanese lifestyle brand Café Kitsune will open at 55 Monmouth Steet later […]
Requirements
KFC has appetite for over 50 new UK stores in 2025
1st July 2025KFC is looking to secure over 50 new UK stores this year, as part of the restaurant chain’s plans to invest almost £1.5bn into its estate over the next five years. Earlier this year, the fried chicken specialist – which operates over 1,000 restaurants in the UK – said it will spend £466m on expanding its estate, with plans to open 500 more sites in the UK and Ireland over the next decade. The chain also said it would invest in upgrading over 200 of its existing restaurants. KFC has now released its acquisition requirements, with the chain considering freehold and leasehold units located at retail and leisure parks, development sites, high street retail units, travel hubs, shopping centres, and food courts. The operator is focusing on drive-through sites spanning 0.3 to 1.5 acres, as well as in-line units ranging in size between 1,200 sq ft and 2,500 sq ft. KFC is seeking sites across the entire UK and Ireland, and is also offering agents a finder’s fee of £20,000 for any suitable locations.
Insights
Q&A: What’s new at Cribbs Mall?
1st July 2025One of the country’s largest shopping centres, it’s been a busy few months at The Mall at Cribbs Causeway in Bristol. The scheme has recently welcomed new tenants, investment from existing retailers, and has played a part in the development of the wider area. Centre owner M&G Real Estate also recently extended its ownership. Sovereign Centros by CBRE’s Iain Minto, senior director of asset management, and Katie Searle, director of asset management, spoke to Completely Retail News about what’s new at Cribbs Mall. Iain Minto and Katie Searle What new retailers has Cribbs Mall welcomed in recent months? Iain Minto: “Leading international brands continue to flock to Cribbs as we welcomed both LEGO and Austen & Blake in recent months. This continued the strong leasing momentum at Cribbs following the arrivals of Castore, Sweaty Betty, Yankee Candle, and KIKO Milano in the past year. “Meanwhile, several of our leading brands including Hugo Boss, Next, Pret, Ribble, Claire’s, Accessorize, Yo Sushi, Frankie & Benny’s, and Clarks renewed their commitment to Cribbs with new leases. “This evolving tenant mix is proving popular with our shoppers; footfall rose by 9% and sales grew by 6% over the past 12 months, outstripping industry benchmarks. […]
News
The Liberty Romford welcomes trio of retailer openings
3rd July 2025The Liberty Romford has welcomed a trio of retailers, with 80s Casual Classics, Lovisa, and MINISO all opening at the Redical-owned scheme. Its first location in the south of England, 80s Casual Classics’ new flagship spans 2,340 sq ft and showcases 70s, 80s, and 90s-inspired apparel. The store also stocks custom-made exclusive products from third-party brands, available only at The Liberty Romford. Meanwhile, Lovisa has opened a 915 sq ft store at the Romford scheme, stocking its full range of necklaces, earrings, and rings, alongside piercing facilities. Lovisa joins a number of jewellery and accessories retailers at The Liberty Romford, including H.Samuel, Pandora, and Swarovksi. Finally, MINISO has opened 2,270 sq ft store, following a successful pop-up at the destination. The store – which is the retailer’s first in the London borough of Havering – offers a range of collectible products from brands such as Hello Kitty and Harry Potter, alongside brand categories such as essentials, beauty, travel, homeware, technology, and snacks. Daniel Tucker, leasing manager at The Liberty Romford, said: “This trio of openings adds to The Liberty Romford’s dynamic brand line-up and is a significant development in this exciting stage of the destination’s elevation. Marking a regional first for […]
