News
Bournemouth’s Castlepoint adds Space NK to beauty lineup
16th October 2026Castlepoint is set to welcome the arrival of Space NK, after the beauty retailer signed for a 2,425 sq ft store at the Bournemouth shopping park. Since launching in 1990, Space NK has grown significantly, curating a strong online following and expanding its UK physcal estate in response to the increase in consumer demand for premium beauty products. The new store will stock an mixture of popular makeup and skincare brands including Diptyque, Nars, as well as new brands that are exclusive to Space NK, such as Cécred and Touchland. The letting follows the recent announcement that Woods Furniture is set to join Castlepoint as the scheme’s first dedicated furniture brands. A spokesperson on behalf of the joint venture owners of Castlepoint, Columbia Threadneedle Investments and Delancey, said: “It’s fantastic to be welcoming Space NK to the line up at Castlepoint. There has been a significant increase in consumer demand for premium beauty brands, and we’re pleased to be meeting this demand with the arrival of Space NK. This letting is a key part of our proactive asset management strategy which aims to diversify our tenant mix and meet demand from our customers for recognisable, big-name brands.” Tiff Ruis, senior […]
Deals
White Stuff joins fashion lineup at Frasers Plus Braehead
14th October 2026White Stuff is set to open a new store at Frasers Plus Braehead this autumn. The fashion retailer will occupy a 2,741 sq ft unit, which will showcase a range of womenswear, menswear, and accessories, alongside the retailer’s knitwear, premium denim, and dedicated rainwear lines. The British retailer will add to an existing lineup at Frasers Plus Braehead that includes the likes of M&S, NEXT, and Flannels. Rachel Scott, head of leasing at Global Mutual, said: “Brands are increasingly selective about where they invest in physical stores, so White Stuff’s decision to open at Frasers Plus Braehead is a positive endorsement of the opportunity this destination presents. “For us, the focus is on securing operators that can perform over the long term and respond to what our customers are looking for. White Stuff’s commitment is another example of that approach translating into leasing activity.” Clare Davis, cluster manager at White Stuff, added: “Scotland has always been an important market for us, and we are excited to be embarking on this next chapter of brand growth in the region. Frasers Plus Braehead was a natural next step for us. It gives us the opportunity to bring the brand to a destination that already […]
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
Alliance Retail Exchange: Retail space is the name of the game in the out-of-town market
2nd October 2026A lack of quality out-of-town space continues to be the challenge faced by retailers in 2026, according to the delegates Completely Retail News spoke to at September’s Alliance Retail Exchange (ARX) event. Demand for retail warehousing space remains high, but many retailers and operators are continuing to find a lack of churn to be the biggest obstacle to their expansion plans. As a result, rents are expected to grow, while landlords and prospective tenants are having to be more creative to create new opportunities in the out-of-town market. This may lead to the development of new stock, the splitting of existing units, or the creation of new formats. The event, which was sponsored by PureGym, was held at The Brewery in London and attracted over 500 delegates, including agents, landlords, and retailers. The morning of the event saw a welcome speech and breakfast before the floor was opened to dealmaking. This was followed by a presentation by Savills’ Sam Arrowsmith and George Trimmer, which looked at the lack of out-of-town space available to retailers. The presentation highlighted how, outside of drive through formats and bespoke discount grocery stores, no new stock is coming to the market. That said, the general […]
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
Family entertainment concept opens at The Liberty Romford
15th October 2026The Liberty Romford, owned and operated by Redical, has welcomed the arrival of family-friendly entertainment concept Little Wonder Street. The brand’s debut site, located on Laurie Walk, spans 11,168 sq ft and features 11 ‘day-in-the-life’ rooms, including a vets, a village fire station, a village dentist, a medical centre, stables, and a sensory room. The space also hosts café facilities for parents, and a soft play area for younger children. The opening follows a strong summer at The Liberty Romford, which welcomed over 1.1 million visitors in both July and August. This year’s footfall at the destination is set to surpass 14 million visits, up 6.4% year-on-year. Dan Tucker, leasing manager at Redical, said: “The debut of Little Wonder Street, following on from the opening of Flying Tiger and ahead of the upcoming launch of Costa Coffee, has come at a pivotal time in the destination’s elevation. As we come off the back of a strong period of summer trade, we know this extension of our family-focused leisure offer will resonate with our local catchment, as consumers seek out more diversity and consideration in their local retail destinations.” Isil Gjoka, director at Is and Ren Studios, added: “Our debut at The Liberty […]
