Retail Property Deals

Essex retail park fully let following PureGym signing

22nd January 2025

Gateway Retail Park in Harwich, Essex, is now fully let following the addition of PureGym. The gym operator has secured Unit 3, which spans 7,001 sq ft, on a 15-year lease. PureGym will join a line-up of retailers at the scheme including Argos, B&M, and Peacocks. Spanning 55,082 sq ft, Gateway Retail Park is located adjacent to the St Nicholas Roundabout on the A120 Dovercourt Bypass, approximately one mile west of Harwich Town Centre. Martin Wade, associate director at LCP, part of M Core, and asset manager to Gateway Retail Park, said: “Securing PureGym is a fantastic milestone for Gateway Retail Park and a testament to the strength and desirability of this scheme. With the site now fully let, we are confident that the diverse tenant mix will serve the needs of the local community and attract further footfall to the area.” A spokesperson for PureGym added: “We are delighted to be opening a brand-new gym on Gateway Retail Park which is a fantastic location just outside of Harwich town centre. We’re on a mission to inspire a happier, healthier nation and our newest gym will provide members with access to flexible, affordable fitness facilities to help them reach their fitness […]

Perfumery relocates and upsizes in Covent Garden

22nd January 2025

Bloom Perfumery has relocated its store in Covent Garden, taking a larger location at The Yards and tripling its presence within the London neighbourhood. The perfumery has relocated from Langley Court to a 2,900 sq ft unit at 4 Slingsby Place, as it looks to accommodate more visitors and a growing range of fragrances. The brand showcases a range of independent, exclusive, and niche fragrances, and aims to deliver a bespoke shopping experience with specialists on hand to assist shoppers. The largest independent perfumery in the UK, Bloom Perfumery has called Covent Garden its home for over a decade and now sits alongside a complementary line-up of retailers at The Yards, including Space NK, The White Company, Lululemon, and Reiss. A spokesperson from Bloom Perfumery said: “Having outgrown our Langley Court space, it was necessary that we found an established location in Covent Garden to accommodate our growth in demand and evolving brand. Situated amongst a curated line-up of first-rate global and UK names in fashion and beauty, The Yards’ 4 Slingsby Place was the ideal next step for Bloom Perfumery where we could continue to flourish, allowing us to stock up to 100 carefully chosen brands.” On behalf of the...

Manchester’s Trafford Centre to welcome Flying Tiger

21st January 2025

Flying Tiger Copenhagen is set to open a new store at the Trafford Centre in Manchester. The variety retailer has taken a 1,500 sq ft store on the scheme’s Upper Peel Avenue for its 81st location in the UK. The store will open its doors on February 14th – Valentine’s Day, and will become the brand’s first opening of 2025. Flying Tiger at the Trafford Centre will feature the brand’s core range alongside its seasonal love-themed products in celebration of Valentine’s Day. The brand looks to keep sustainability at the core of its ethos, with a focus on conducting business ethically and responsibly through its entire supply chain, which the Trafford Centre said aligns with its ESG programme. The scheme has implemented initiatives to reduce the direct greenhouse gas emissions of the spaces it controls to achieve Net Zero carbon by 2030. Michael Burke, managing director for Flying Tiger Copenhagen UK & Ireland, said: “Flying Tiger Copenhagen aims to inspire and make every day extraordinary through affordable, design-led products. The opening of our Trafford Centre store marks our first opening in 2025 and expansion of our presence in the UK, bringing our unique shopping experience to even more customers. What’s more, […]

Activewear brand opens in Covent Garden’s Seven Dials

21st January 2025

Luxury activewear brand Alo Yoga has opened its new location at Seven Dials within Shaftesbury Capital’s Covent Garden neighbourhood in London. The brand has taken a 5,000 sq ft store at 25a Neal Street, at a key gateway to the neighbourhood. Spanning three floors, the new space spotlights the brand’s collections of lifestyle and activewear, including loungewear, accessories and wellness products. The opening follows a milestone year for brand commitments at Covent Garden in 2024, with 55 brands investing in the destination over the course of the year. Of these, 33 were new openings encompassing a total of almost 60,000 sq ft. Brands that joined Covent Garden in 2024 included Arc’teryx, Axel Arigato, Barbour, ELEMIS, EL&N Deli, Delamina Townhouse, Diptyque, Longines, and Peak Performance. The destination also signed ERGON House and Nespresso which are both set to open this year. A further 22 brands chose to build on their existing relationship with Shaftesbury Capital and reinvest into Covent Garden during 2024. This included lease renewals and upsizes from brands such as Bucherer, Charlotte Tilbury, Diptyque, Finisterre, Moleskine, Strathberry and Vivo Barefoot. William Oliver, retail leasing director at Shaftesbury Capital, said: “The opening of Alo Yoga’s new store in an anchor […]

Developer signs five tenants for Darlington retail park development

20th January 2025

Developer Almscliffe-Dhesi has signed five retail occupiers for a derelict industrial site in Darlington, County Durham, which is set to be transformed into a retail park. Costa Coffee, Greggs, Indigo Sun, Harrison Vets, and Fastned have now signed up for space at the site, a portion of which has already been sold to McDonald’s, which is constructing a unit at the entrance. Construction work on the two-acre site is set to begin in February and scheduled to complete in September. Neil Creeney, director at Yorkshire-based Almscliffe-Dhesi, said: “This is phase one of a wider development on the Faverdale site. There is a further four acres that have retail consent which will be developed in due course. “We are absolutely delighted to have signed up a number of high-profile and successful retail operators for phase one. They will make a significant difference to the retail offer in this popular area of Darlington and will prove to be a timely boost for the local economy.” Bal Singh, founder co-founder of Almscliffe-Dhesi, added: “We have recently completed three successful developments in the North East and North Lincolnshire which have given us the confidence that our business model is the correct one, attracting popular […]

Starbucks brews up Victoria Centre opening

20th January 2025

Starbucks is set to open its third store in Nottingham city centre at the Victoria Centre. The coffee shop chain will open at the beginning of February and will look to act as a ‘third space’ within the shopping centre. As part of an ongoing commitment to sustainability, the store will make use of reusable cups, eco-friendly packaging, and the responsible sourcing of products. Rob Jewell, managing director, asset management at Pradera Lateral, said: “We are confident that Starbucks will be a welcome addition to the food and beverage offerings available to visitors.” Alok Yadav, director at Kbeverage Limited, added: “We are excited to open this new location at Victoria Centre, a premier destination in Nottingham. Its prime location will attract a diverse range of visitors.”

Oliver Bonas to relocate in York

17th January 2025

Oliver Bonas is set to relocate its store in York, with the fashion and homeware retailer moving from 35 Stonegate to the former Boots store 1 King’s Square. The retailer will occupy the 2,164 sq ft ground floor of the building, with Helmsley Group – which agreed the letting – looking to transform the unused upper floors into residential accommodation. Subject to planning approval, the project will help realise Helmsley Group’s aspirations to bring residential space to unused upper floors throughout the city. This is a strategy that also features in the group’s recently-approved masterplan for the redevelopment of the nearby Coney Street, which looks to revitalise the street’s retail and residential offering while reconnecting the high street to the river. Max Reeves, director at Helmsley Group, said: “We’re thrilled to be welcoming Oliver Bonas to a new larger store on King’s Square and look eagerly towards developing the upper floors of the building to create new city centre living space. “There are disused upper floors like those at 1 King’s Square across the city and it is our ambition to use York’s historic buildings to their full potential by bringing these floors back into use as much needed city […]

LCP brings Specsavers to Derby shopping centre

16th January 2025

Commercial property and investment company LCP, part of M Core, has welcomed Specsavers to M Park Farm shopping centre in Allestree, Derby. The national optician brand opened in a 2,526 sq ft unit after signing a 10-year lease. Specsavers joins other major retail brands at M Park Farm including Boots, Co-op, Farmfoods, and Wilko. Simon Eatough, director and asset manager at LCP, said: “M Park Farm is a well-established shopping centre in Derby suburb, Allestree, comprised over 50 stores ranging from small independent retailers and salons to major national retailers and food outlets. “The signing of Specsavers, further reflects our commitment to securing a mix of established brands and exciting new retailers to meet the needs of the local community.”

AEW secures trio of lettings at Windsor Royal Centres

15th January 2025

AEW has secured a trio of new lettings at the Windsor Royal Centres, choosing retailers which appeal to the local catchment and tourists. British leather bag brand The Cambridge Satchel Company has chosen Windsor Royal Station for its fourth store. The 505 sq ft unit will join the brand’s other locations in Covent Garden, Cambridge, and Leeds. Also joining Windsor Royal Station is Chinese lifestyle retailer MINISO, which has opened a 1,330 sq ft store. The opening marks comes amid continued expansion for the brand, which now operates over 6,000 stores across 100 countries. Finally, home and body products brand Rituals has taken the former Three store at Windsor Yards, which extends to 2,122 sq ft. Nick Warr, partner at joint letting agent GCW, said: “These lettings reflect AEW’s commitment to curating a diverse and dynamic retail environment that resonates with the local community and tourist visitors. “We are thrilled to welcome these exceptional brands to Windsor Royal Centres, enhancing the overall shopping experience and strengthening Windsor’s appeal as a leading retail destination. “With these new additions, Windsor Royal continues to attract high-calibre tenants, delivering a vibrant retail offering for one of the UK’s most prestigious shopping locations.” GCW and […]

New signings announced at Dundee’s Overgate as FRASERS store given launch date

14th January 2025

A number of new signings and openings have been announced at The Overgate Centre in Dundee, as the incoming FRASERS concept store’s launch date has been revealed. Mango, the fashion brand which recently delivered record profits, has signed a ten-year lease for a 4,081 sq ft unit on the centre’s ground floor, set to open in April. Meanwhile, Clarks Shoes – which is celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2025 – will also open at The Overgate Centre in April after signing for a 2,160 sq ft store. Already open at the Dundee scheme is British premium sportswear brand Castore, which has taken a 1,649 sq ft store on a five-year lease. The brand has partnerships with the likes of Andy Murray, as well as a number of football, rugby, Formula 1, and cricket teams. Adding to the food and drink offering at The Overgate, bubble tea chain Mooboo Tea has opened on the scheme’s upper level, while American bakery chain Cinnabon is set to open this spring, with both operators taking 10-year leases. This coincides with the relocation of Muffin Break, which has moved into a larger unit on the lower mall adjacent to Five Guys. This comes as Frasers...

LCP brings trio of tenants to Washington shopping centre

13th January 2025

Commercial property and investment company LCP, part of M Core, has brought a trio of new tenants to M The Galleries, Washington (formerly The Galleries). The scheme welcomed a new food and beverage offering from restaurant operator Loungers, opening as Cantoro Lounge. The 3,968 sq ft restaurant, which opened in December, has been taken on a 15-year lease. Cantoro Lounge forms part of a 30,000 sq ft retail and leisure redevelopment project at the centre, which features four new shopfronts, external cladding, and new landscaping. Also joining M The Galleries is Starbucks, which has opened a drive-through unit following the redevelopment of a vacant plot of land. The coffee shop chain has taken a 15-year lease on the purpose-built 1,840 sq ft unit, which features seating for up to 52 customers, seven EV chargers, and car parking. Finally, gym operator PureGym has also joined the scheme, opening in a 10,812 sq ft space in December. Simon Eatough, director at LCP and asset manager for M The Galleries, said: “It is fantastic to welcome Cantoro Lounge, Starbucks and Pure Gym to M The Galleries. We are delighted to have redeveloped and transformed under-used areas of the scheme to further add to […]

Kosher restaurant to open upsized venue in Marylebone

13th January 2025

Tony Page’s Island Grill is relocating from Bayswater Road at the Royal Lancaster into a larger restaurant in Marylebone, London. The kosher fine dining concept will reopen as Tony Page Marylebone on Tuesday. Located on the corner of Paddington Street and Chiltern Street, the new 3,460 sq ft venue will be 20% larger than the operator’s previous location with space for 100 diners. The menu will offer signature dishes such as crispy duck salad, mushroom risotto, rib eye steaks, duck à l’orange, and sea bass creviche. Ted Schama, joint managing partner at Shelley Sandzer, which acted for Tony Page, said: “Tony Page really is the gold standard in kosher catering. He represents a real point of culinary difference, and what better place to continue his success than in the West End. It delivers quality kosher food in a welcoming environment, situated in a prime space that will capitalise on central London’s thriving footfall, and will be enjoyed by even more national and international visitors.” This comes after Shelley Sandzer recently secured prime locations for other ventures, including whiskey-focused bar lounge bar and restaurant, Odyssey at Hoxton Square.