News
British Land boss takes reins as BPF president ahead of merger vote
8th July 2025The chief executive of British Land Simon Carter has taken over as president of the British Property Federation (BPF), as the group prepares to vote for a proposed merger with two other industry bodies. He succeeds Jessica Hardman, chief executive and co-founder of Aboria Capital, who has held the role since July 2024. Carter joined the board of British Land in 2018 as chief financial officer, before taking on the role of chief executive two years later. He leads the business across a range of markets, including retail parks, urban logistics schemes, and mixed use campuses. His appointment comes as members of the BPF, the Association of Real Estate Funds (AREF), and the Investment Property Forum (IPF) prepare to vote on a potential merger. The proposed organisation would be named Real Estate: UK (RE:UK). Simon Carter, chief executive at British Land and BPF president, said: “It is a privilege to take on the role of president of the British Property Federation. Our industry plays a vital role in shaping places and supporting communities across the country, and makes an enormous contribution to the UK economy in creating jobs, unlocking investment and enabling innovation. “Under Jessica’s leadership, the BPF has seen […]
Deals
M Core fully lets Chelmsford shopping centre
8th July 2025M Core has fully let High Bridge Place in Chelmsford, Essex, following its latest tenant signing. Independent restaurant operator Smoke & Dough has signed a 15-year lease on the final vacant unit at the destination. The 8,586 sq ft space – formerly occupied by TGI Friday’s – becomes the second location for the restaurant, which made its debut at Liverpool ONE in 2019. Smoke & Dough is an interactive restaurant where each table has a coal pit for customers to grill their own meat. The concept serves sourdough pizza, homemade breads, dips, burgers, as well as a kids’ Bento box and homemade desserts. Toby Saggers, asset manager at LCP, part of M Core, which manages High Bridge Place, said: “We are thrilled to have achieved full occupancy at High Bridge Place and welcome Smoke & Dough to the scheme. It’s fantastic to see the former TGI Fridays unit brought back life with this exciting new brand. “The fact that Smoke & Dough have picked this location for their second opening is a testament to Chelmsford’s strength as a leisure destination and to the attractiveness of High Bridge Place itself.”
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
Wingstop continues expansion with Westfield London opening
7th July 2025Wingstop has continued its expansion across the capital with the opening of a new restaurant at Westfield London in Shepherd’s Bush. Located on the Lower Mall, the new site spans 3,379 sq ft with space to accommodate over 136 covers. The opening comes a year after the fried chicken restaurant chain opened its largest restaurant globally at Westfield Stratford City. The restaurant offers a range of wings, tenders, and burgers, alongside refreshments such as milkshakes, beers, and desserts. Chris Sherriff, CEO at Wingstop UK, said: “We’re so excited to be launching at Westfield Shepherd’s Bush, the UK’s largest shopping centre. Building on the success of our Westfield Stratford flagship, today’s opening marks the next step in our continued expansion across London. 2025 is shaping up to be an incredible year as we meet the unparalleled demand for our wings and flavours.” A huge thank you to our loyal customers and to our teams for their hard work in making this possible.” Earlier this year, Wingstop announced its biggest opening pipeline since launching in the UK in 2018, with plans to open over 20 sites in 2025.
