News
Mayor of London hails “momentous” occasion as Oxford Street pedestrianised
26th October 2026The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has hailed a “momentous occasion for the capital” as London’s Oxford Street becomes permanently traffic-free for the first time. A section of Oxford Street between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street is now closed to private motorised vehicles, buses, taxis, private hire vehicles, cycles, scooters, and pedicabs. The first stage of the pedestrianisation project will see the introduction of a temporary ‘transitional scheme’ aimed at delivering some immediate improvements for visitors, while enabling public feedback to help refine the final designs for a traffic-free Oxford Street. The new pedestrianisation and wider regeneration project aims to put Oxford Street back among top global shopping destinations including Times Square, the Champs-Élysées, and La Rambla. Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, said: “I’m hugely excited to see my bold vision for Oxford Street coming to life from today. It is a truly momentous occasion for the capital. I encourage everyone to explore and enjoy the newly traffic-free street, as we create a new vibrant destination that welcomes Londoners and visitors from around the world. “For centuries, Oxford Street has reinvented itself, adapting to changing times and helping shape British culture along the way. There has been talk […]
Deals
Independent fashion brand to open outlet store at Dalton Park
26th October 2026BADGE is set to open a new outlet store at Dalton Park Outlet & Outdoors in County Durham. The Hartlepool-founded independent fashion brand will take a 1,640 sq ft store at the outlet shopping destination, offering its range of curated brands that includes Stone Island, C.P. Company, Lacoste, BOSS, Armani, Sandbanks, and Moose Knuckles. The brand’s decision to open at Dalton Park marks an important stage of growth for the independent retailer, while also further strengthening the destination’s menswear offer with an additional selection of ladieswear and kidswear. BADGE’s arrival follows the opening of Belstaff earlier this year and demonstrates, as scheme owner Global Mutual looks to grow Dalton Park’s menswear category. Together, the two additions will increase the destination’s menswear footprint by 27.4% in 2026. Nicky Lovell, head of designer outlets and brand relationships at Global Mutual, said: “A compelling outlet offer is built through carefully considered adjacencies, bringing together brands that complement one another while giving customers a fresh reason to return. The arrival of BADGE demonstrates our strategy to build further depth within menswear, a category that continues to show strong appeal among Dalton Park customers. “Bringing an established independent North East retailer together with internationally recognised […]
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
Q&A: Landsec’s portfolio director Clare Dutton: “we’re investing a lot into retail”
23rd October 2026Landsec is investing big in retail. The real estate investment trust recently snapped up the 1.86m sq ft Metrocentre shopping centre in Gateshead, and earlier this year touted major retail as a “more attractive” sector than office or residential development. In addition, Landsec has welcomed a number of ‘firsts’ to its portfolio: Garage opened its first store in the UK in Bluewater, while at Liverpool ONE, Lefties made its UK debut and Salomon opened its first store outside of London. As demand for prime shopping centre space creeps up, how does Landsec pick the right brands for the right spaces? Completely Retail News caught up with portfolio director Clare Dutton to discuss the landlord’s approach to selecting new tenants, which retailers are the most acquisitive, and the role of physical retail within shopping centres: How does Landsec identify the brands it wants to attract to its shopping centres? “We’re close to the market, so we know of the new brands that are acquisitive. We also have a lot of data, because we reach one in every two consumers in the UK, in respect to things that our customers are looking for. “So it’s a combination of knowing who’s in the […]
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
Ashton’s Arcades Shopping Centre brought under public ownership
26th October 2026Tameside Council has acquired the Arcades Shopping Centre in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, from Fairacre Property. The 140,000 sq ft scheme is home to national retailers including Boots, Home Bargains, Peacocks, Greggs, and Costa Coffee. This follows Tameside Council’s acquisition of Ladysmith Shopping Centre, which sits adjacent to the Arcades Shopping Centre, from NewRiver REIT in May. Together, the acquisitions grant the local authority control of Ashton’s entire shopping centre provision, bringing almost 300,000 sq ft of space into public ownership. Both shopping centres are located next to the Grade II-listed Ashton Town Hall, which is being redeveloped by Tameside Council into a new cultural hub and workplace destination. They also overlook Market Square, which is set to open soon following a transformation to create a new covered outdoor market and over 100,000 sq ft of enhanced public realm for markets, street food, community use, and events. Tameside Council said the centres form an important part of its £1bn regeneration strategy, which includes repositioning Ashton as a well-connected and investable town. Its long-term plan for the town centre will look to strengthen and focus Ashton’s retail offer while creating space for new leisure, culture, homes and workspace. The Council has been […]
