News
Local authority to acquire Basildon’s Eastgate Shopping Centre
31st July 2026Eastgate Shopping Centre is set to undergo a change of ownership after Basildon Council agreed to acquire the Essex shopping centre. Eastgate’s existing management team will look to work closely with Basildon Council, retailers, and partners to build on the progress already being made at the scheme while also supporting the delivery of future regeneration plans. The centre is currently looking forward to the opening of the new Eastgate Health Centre, which will bring healthcare services into the heart of the town. Lee Spencer, centre director at Eastgate Shopping Centre, said: “This is a really exciting milestone for Eastgate Shopping Centre and for Basildon as a whole. We are incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made over recent years, strengthening our retail and leisure offer, supporting our tenants and creating a welcoming destination for the local community.” “The Council’s investment reflects the confidence in Eastgate’s future and the important role the centre plays within the town. We’re looking forward to working alongside Basildon Council to build on the positive momentum we’ve created, welcoming new opportunities, supporting our existing retailers and continuing to enhance the experience for everyone who visits Eastgate. The future is incredibly exciting, and we’re proud to be […]
Deals
Oliver Bonas to make retail park debut at pair of British Land schemes
31st July 2026Oliver Bonas is set to open its first retail park locations at British Land’s Glasgow Fort and Teesside Park. The British lifestyle retailer has agreed a lease for a 2,800 sq ft unit at Glasgow Fort, with the store set to open in September. The Teesside Park store will span 3,190 sq ft and will open later in the autumn. British Land said the arrival reflects its hands-on asset management strategy, which is focused on continued evolution towards a more diverse, experience-led retail mix. Over the past 12 months, British Land has secured 42,290 sq ft of lettings at Teesside Park, while at Glasgow Fort, this latest letting follows a period of exceptional performance, with the destination achieving record visitor numbers and an 8% year-on-year increase in footfall in the last 12 months. Matthew Reed, head of retail park asset management at British Land, said: “Oliver Bonas is a brand with a very clear identity and a loyal following, so their decision to open at both Glasgow Fort and Teesside Park speaks volumes about the strength of our regional destinations and the opportunity they offer. As a well-established national retailer, Oliver Bonas adds real depth to our line-up and further strengthens our lifestyle proposition. Their move also highlights the continued strength of the retail park format, with brands increasingly recognising the benefits of these well-connected, high-performing destinations. “We’re always looking at how […]
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
The rise of ‘treatonomics’: how changing spending patterns are affecting retail destinations
9th July 2026Times of economic difficulty and reduced consumer confidence have traditionally seen consumers tighten their purse strings, occasionally saving up for a larger purchase. But a recent shift in spending patterns suggests that shoppers are now shunning big-ticket purchases in favour of smaller, less expensive products or experiences. This concept, dubbed ‘treatonomics’, has been observed by Alex Petit, head of research and insights at Global Mutual, within the group’s portfolio of outlet shopping centres. “What we’ve seen is that cost-of-living crisis, combined with people wanting to keep on treating themselves, means that people are suddenly treating themselves on much smaller price points. That’s what we’re seeing with treatonomics”, she tells Completely Retail News. Data from the ONS found that despite increasing costs, sales volumes have remained broadly flat against pre-pandemic levels. This implies a shift towards consumers spending money less often, but instead choosing to make select purchases of higher values. “People are being very considered”, says Petit, “I think it comes from the pandemic as well, when we were all locked at home and we were deprived of a lot of things. People now have a slightly different outlook on life as there’s this hang-up psychologically, from us not being […]
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
LCP serves up Nando’s at M Parc Fforestfach
24th July 2026LCP UK, part of M Core, has welcomed the arrival of Nando’s at M Parc Fforestfach in Wales, marking the sixth new letting at the scheme in under 12 months. The restaurant operator has taken a 3,945 sq ft unit on a 15-year lease. The opening completes the repositioning of the retail park’s food and beverage offer that began with the signing of Wingers earlier this year. These two operators sit alongside a number of brands that have recently joined the scheme, including Jollyes, Zuno Play, Anytime Fitness, and TanTastic. Together, these operators span the food and beverage, health and fitness, pet retail, and children’s entertainment categories, a mix which has been designed to extend dwell time, distribute footfall across visit types, and reduce the income concentration risk that comes with a narrower occupier base. Adam Martin, director and head of the Bristol office at LCP UK, part of M Core, said: “Nando’s opening is another strong step forward for Fforestfach. It’s a brand with genuine pulling power, and its arrival alongside the other new occupiers over the past year shows the shift we’ve made in this park’s profile. Six lettings in under 12 months reflects a deliberate strategy, and […]
