News
Vagabond Wines toasts opening of largest venue yet in Soho
18th June 2026Vagabond Wines has opened its largest venue to-date in London’s Soho. Located at 12-16 Ganton Street, the 6,000 sq ft venue will feature a curved central bar and accommodate up to 40 guests. The bar will offer 140 different wines by the glass, including a number of wines produced at Vagabond’s own winery five miles away in Canada Water. This marks the first new opening of 2026 for Vagabond – which is backed by the Majestic Wine Group and Fortress Investment Group – following the launch of bars in St Paul’s and Liverpool Street last autumn, and its winery at Canada Water in December. The brand will also return to Canary Wharf later this summer as it accelerates its expansion plans. Christobell Giles, managing director of Vagabond Wines, said: “Soho thrives on breaking rules and pushing boundaries, so it is the perfect home for our new flagship site. I’m so pleased to finally be joining the amazing mix of bars and restaurants in the district and our team can’t wait to introduce thousands of new guests to the Vagabond experience. “Ordering wine in central London can often feel like a bit of a non-event, but we want to hand the […]
Deals
Pop Mart to make regional debut at Sheffield’s Meadowhall as LEGO and Crew Clothing open
18th June 2026Pop Mart is set to make its regional debut at Meadowhall in Sheffield, as LEGO and Crew Clothing open at the scheme. The Chinese retailer has signed for a 2,618 sq ft unit on Meadowhall’s High Street upper level, and will open its first store in the South Yorkshire region. Pop Mart will offer a range of collectable toys, including Labubu’s, and products from brands such as Hello Kitty and Disney. It joins other East Asian-inspired brands at Meadowhall including MINISO and Kenji. Meanwhile international toy retailer LEGO has relocated into an upsized store on Meadowhall’s lower mall High Street, following 15 years at the scheme. The 4,561 sq ft unit will host product launches, interactive experiences, and special events. LEGO’s new store sits among the recently launched spaces for Pull&Bear and Stradivarius. Finally, Meadowhall has recently welcomed fashion retailer Crew Clothing. Now open on The Avenue’s lower level, the 2,000 sq ft unit offers a range of coastal-inspired collections across womenswear, menswear, and childrenswear. Crew Clothing joins a number of premium brands on The Avenue, including Whittards, The White Company, and L’Occitane on the lower level and Molton Brown and Frasers on the upper level. Richard Crowther, retail leasing director […]
Requirements
Toolstation eyes new sites as it looks to expand London and South East estate
22nd April 2026Toolstation has released its latest property requirements list as it looks to expand its store estate across Greater London and the South East. The trade supplies retailer is seeking units on high streets and trade parks ranging between 2,000 sq ft and 5,000 sq ft in size, located in prominent and visible roadside locations. Ideal units will be situated in easily accessible locations, with access to parking and loading bays essential. Target locations include: GCW has been retained to find suitable locations.
Insights
Comment: A guide to creating a thriving destination through placemaking
11th June 2026For owners, operators and brands alike, the challenge is no longer simply attracting occupiers or filling units. It is creating destinations that give people a reason to visit, stay longer and spend more. That is where placemaking has moved from a marketing add-on to a commercial discipline. Understanding this, and responding to it, sits at the centre of how we shape and manage our clients’ assets.
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
Blackstar Real Estate makes pair of appointments to advisory board
18th June 2026Blackstar Real Estate has appointed John Prestwich and Ojay McDonald to its advisory board. John Prestwich brings over 30 years’ experience in retail asset and property management, having led teams at Cushman & Wakefield, CBRE, Montagu Evans, and Savills. His client base has included major institutional investors such as M&G, British Land, The Crown Estate, and Aviva, as well as local authorities and high-net-worth individuals. Ojay McDonald is chief executive of the Association of Town & City Management, bringing experience in public policy, urban economics, and town centre regeneration. He works closely with government ministers, parliamentarians, the UK Cabinet Office, and industry leaders across a range of policy areas, including planning, transport, housing, retail, and climate resilience. McDonald has played a leading role in national regeneration initiatives, including serving as co-chair of the Sector Leaders Group for the High Streets Task Force. He is also a board member of the International Downtown Association, advising governments and organisations globally on place management and urban development. His work also includes coordinating the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Town Centres. These appointments follow Blackstar Real Estate’s recent recruitment of Natalia Rakowska as an asset manager, joining from Labtech. Sabri Marsaoui of Blackstar Real Estate […]
