News
MINISO LAND to make UK debut on Oxford Street
16th October 2026MINISO is set to open its first MINISO LAND store in the UK at 363 Oxford Street in London. The global lifestyle brand will create a 19,000 sq ft flagship at the destination, showcasing its IP collaborations and proprietary characters through themed environments and an immersive, “IP theme park-style” shopping experience. The store will join MINISO’s network of flagship stores, which includes buildings in New York’s Times Square and Paris’s Champs-Élysées, alongside over 8,300 stores globally. The signing comes as vacancy rates on Oxford Street sit at 0.5% for Q3 2026, making it one of the tightest and lowest-vacancy retail corridors in Central London. Sam Foyle, co-head of global retail at Savills, which acted for the landlord, said: “We’re seeing continued interest from brands for space on Oxford Street. Pedestrianisation plans have really fuelled momentum over the past year and, as the street enters a more mature stage of recovery, we expect this appetite to continue. “Oxford Street is a microcosm of the UK high street, where brands are increasingly focused on creating memorable, experience-led destinations. MINISO LAND is a great example of that trend, bringing an innovative flagship concept to one of the world’s most recognisable retail locations. Its […]
Deals
Greggs signs for 4,300 sq ft across two Affinity destinations
16th October 2026Greggs has signed for a combined 4,300 sq ft across two destinations within the Affinity outlet shopping centre portfolio. The grab-and-go food operator is set to open stores at both Affinity Devon and Affinity Lancashire. The stores will offer Greggs’ staple products including sausage rolls and bakes, alongside breakfast, sandwiches, sweet treats, and coffee. Both stores will also offer seating. James Kevill, asset manager at Global Mutual, said: “Greggs is a huge signing for Affinity. Securing two stores at once is a fantastic result and exactly the kind of brand we want to bring to our destinations. “It’s another strong step forward for Devon and Lancashire, and we can’t wait to get the doors open.” Gillian Long, retail operations director at Greggs, added: “Affinity Devon and Affinity Lancashire are excellent additions to our growing UK estate as we continue to expand and reach more customers across the country. “We’re looking forward to opening our new shops and welcoming customers at both locations later this year.”
Requirements
Costa Coffee brews up further expansion
8th September 2026Costa Coffee has unveiled its latest property requirements as it looks to continue its expansion across England, Scotland, and Wales. The coffee shop chain, working with its long-standing partner Savills, is looking to open new locations in retail parks and shopping centres, as well as on high streets and within travel locations. Costa Coffee is also looking to open drive-through units in out-of-town retail locations. Ideal units will range in size between 1,250 sq ft and 2,200 sq ft and be located adjacent to foodstores, retail warehousing, and leisure space. Within retail parks, Costa is seeking units ranging between 1,500 sq ft and 2,500 sq ft in size with external seating. Freestanding or in-line units will be considered, with nearby car parking a necessity. Ideal units will be situated in out-of-town locations with significant traffic flow, adjacent to foodstores, and retail and leisure clusters. In high street and shopping centre destinations, Costa is looking for units between 1,500 sq ft and 2,500 sq ft with outside seating. Locations such as universities, hospitals, and leisure destinations will also be considered. The operator is also looking to open new sites within travel locations such as transport hubs and train stations with significant […]
Insights
Retail parks to outperform UK real estate sector, CTI report says
16th October 2026Retail parks are forecast to outperform the wider UK real estate sector, according to a new report from Columbia Threadneedle Investments (CTI) and Capital Economics. The Case for UK Retail Parks predicts that retail parks will generate total returns of approximately 8.3% per annum between 2026 and 2030, placing the sector amongst the strongest-performing areas of UK real estate. The research suggests that retail parks offer a compelling combination of attractive yields, improving occupier fundamentals, and structurally constrained supply. The imbalance in demand and supply is subsequently fuelling positive rental growth, supporting capital value growth alongside income returns. According to the paper, retail parks sit at the intersection of three forces shaping UK real estate: consumers’ increasing focus on value; demand for convenience-led retailing; and a structurally constrained development pipeline. Together, these factors are expected to support rental growth and attractive income-led returns over the medium-term. However, the research suggests that the investment case for UK retail parks extends beyond traditional retail, identifying five key trends supporting the sector’s potential to generate long-term income and growth, including: consumer trends favouring retail parks; the increasing diversification of retailers taking space; the difficulty of replicating retail park offerings online; the strengthening of […]
Advice
Turn lease events from growing pains into commercial gains
10th March 2026By Simon Matley, director for dilapidations and occupier services at TFT After a period of acquisition, a large commercial retail portfolio can become either a major liability or a powerful cost saver for retailers who need every advantage they can get in a challenging consumer market. For national multiples and high street brands, often with sizeable portfolios numbering in the hundreds of units, or for smaller regional operations that are growing at speed, flexibility and control are hugely important. Brands today are adapting their portfolios in light of changing consumer behaviour and omni-channel retailing, and this is shaped by the increasingly sophisticated data capture that allows them to better understand stock, fulfilment, customer behaviour, and operations. For many who have been acquiring premises over the past 10 years, they will almost certainly find that data allows them to be more efficient in the space they need, not least because of the growth of last mile logistics and on demand deliveries which enables occupiers to be nimble in how they use their spaces. Whether they operate on the high street, in retail parks or rely on distribution centres, retailers want to scale fast, explore new territory and snap up the right […]
News
Mago Capital acquires Waitrose-anchored Cobham parade for £40m
16th October 2026Mago Capital has acquired a mixed-use parade in Cobham, Surrey, for £40m. The London-based real estate investment and asset management firm has snapped up Oakdene Parade, its first acquisition outside of the capital. Located on a 2.1 estate, the parade is anchored by Waitrose and comprises 21 retail and restaurant units, along with 22 residential flats on the upper floors. Cobham is one of the most affluent towns in the UK and is located in Surrey’s prime corridor alongside Esher, Oxshott, and Weybridge. It was named the UK’s second most desirable town by The Telegraph in 2026. This most recent acquisition follows Mago Capital’s recent purchases of West End Quay in Paddington, the Notting Hill Gate Estate, and 129-137 Kensington High Street. Investmark advised Mago Capital on the acquisition, alongside Freedman + Hilmi LLP. White Druce & Brown and Shoosmiths acted on behalf of the vendor, Conegate Ltd.
