Retail Property Deals

Coppa Club to make Wales debut in Cardiff

26th April 2024

Bar and restaurant chain Coppa Club is set to make its Welsh debut in Cardiff. The operator will open in May in the former David Morgan department store, providing an all-day bar, café and dining venue. The venue – which will be Coppa Club’s 13th nationwide – will be split over two floors, with the ground floor housing its own bar. Upstairs, cocktail bar Atrium will anchor the first floor and will be complemented by a brasserie and two spaces which will be available for private events. A private restaurant and larger dining space are also available. Rebecca Tooth, managing director of Coppa Club, said: “Building on the success of The Bath Townhouse and Guildford Townhouse, we are delighted to be opening our third Townhouse location in one of the most iconic areas of Cardiff. We are fortunate to be opening in a building steeped in history and envision it becoming a real go-to in the city for drinks, dining, and events.” Earlier this year, Coppa Club owner Various Eateries said it was planning to open 13 new sites in its next expansion phase.

Padel Social Club to serve up new courts and club and Southside

26th April 2024

Padel Social Club is set to create six covered padel courts at Southside Shopping Centre in Wandsworth, following approval from councillors. The 30,000 sq ft, two storey venue will be located on the rooftop of the scheme’s car park, and will feature additional amenities such as changing rooms, a wellness area, and an array of food and beverage kiosks. Padel Social Club at Southside Shopping Centre will also feature social spaces such as co-working areas overlooking the courts, open seating within the reception, and an outdoor area with views over Wandsworth. Padel is a fast-paced racket sport that is often described as a mix between tennis and squash. The sport is often played in doubles on an enclosed court, which is roughly one-third of a size of a tennis court. Rebecca Ruddle, centre director at Southside Shopping Centre, said: “We’re excited to be partnering with Padel Social Club to bring the game to Wandsworth. This exciting addition not only revitalises an underutilised space at the centre, but also enhances our bustling leisure offering. We’re confident that this new facility will bring something new and exciting for our community, and create a vibrant space that fosters connections, whilst introducing a sport that...

The Portman Estate signs five new brands to West End portfolio

25th April 2024

The Portman Estate has announced that five new brands are set to open within its Marylebone portfolio, including Moco Museum’s first location in the UK. Moco Museum will be joined by Maculara, Zula Burger, WatchHouse Coffee, and Mandy Zhang Art. Opening this summer, Moco Museum will open its third largest location in Europe at The Portman Estate’s flagship One Marble Arch development. Taking 25,000 sq ft of space across three floors, the art museum will look to create a new major cultural destination for London. Meanwhile, independent eyecare specialist Maculara will open a debut store at Regent House, Edgware Road in the summer. Offering a range of premium eyewear and eyecare, the new store will sit adjacent to Townhouse Marble Arch and will look to bolster Edgware Road’s retail and amenity offering. Also opening within The Portman Estate’s portfolio is WatchHouse, which will open its 20th coffee house at 60 Seymour Street this summer. Taking 800 sq ft, the independent coffee house aims to champion sustainability and make use of ethical supply chains. Joining the estate’s food and beverage offering is international restaurant brand Zula Burger, which will make its UK debut at 5 Old Quebec Street. Opening this summer, […]

Wiltshire’s The Shires to welcome trio of retailers

25th April 2024

The Shires in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, is preparing to welcome a trio of new retailers, as an existing tenant commits to expanding at the shopping centre. Health and beauty retailer Bodycare has secured 4,262 sq ft of space on the ground and first floors, whilst charity chain Debra UK has committed to a 1,451 sq ft store. Independent creative business Habersashery will also be opening at the scheme. Bakery chain Greggs will be relocating from its existing store at the scheme, taking 3,886 sq ft and effectively doubling its capacity at the shopping centre. Spanning 125,000 sq ft of enclosed retail space, The Shires was acquired by LCP, part of M Core, in 2023. LCP’s changes have included complementary first-hour parking and the introduction of Microshops bringing space for independent businesses. Other retailers at the scheme include JD Sports, Superdrug, Holland and Barrett, H Samuel, F Hinds, Poundland, and TUI. George Watson, asset manager at LCP, said: “LCP acquired The Shires last year and has already welcomed a range of new businesses to the shopping centre, from Microshops to larger thriving businesses new to the area. We are striving to provide a range of business opportunities that encourage economic growth to […]

Escape room and bar concept to make regional debut at Metrocentre

25th April 2024

Escape room and bar concept The Escapologist is set to make its debut in the North East at Gateshead’s Metrocentre. Opening this summer, the concept will occupy a 4,367 sq ft space on the scheme’s Lower Yellow Mall. Joining its existing sites in Leeds and Castleford, The Escapologist will bring a series of themed escape rooms to Metrocentre, with genres such as heists, fantasy, horror, and space. The venue will also have a steampunk-style bar, offering a range of cocktails and mocktails. The Escapologist will complement the existing leisure operators already within Yellow Mall, including Namco Funscape, Clip ‘n Climb, Treetop Golf, and Odeon Cinema, as well as nearby bars and restaurants such as Slim Chickens, Wagamama, and Wingstop. Ben Cox, director at scheme asset manager Sovereign Centros from CBRE, said: “Metrocentre has an evolving leisure offer which is a key strategic focus. As the second biggest shopping centre in the country, we have a great opportunity to make the experience of visiting Metrocentre more compelling by introducing exciting leisure venues alongside the best retail brands. Escape rooms have proven their popularity across the country, so getting a quality operator in The Escapologist will enhance the Yellow Mall leisure offer […]

Escape room and bar concept to make regional debut at Metrocentre

25th April 2024

Oliver Bonas opens largest Kent store at Bluewater

22nd April 2024

Oliver Bonas has opened its largest store yet in Kent at Bluewater shopping centre. The clothing and homewares retailer has taken 3,272 sq ft on the scheme’s Lower Guildhall, opposite John Lewis. The store offers a range of clothing, accessories, and furniture. James Waugh, centre director at Bluewater, said: “Oliver Bonas is a brand that our guests have told us they were keen to shop at in Bluewater for some time, and we’re excited to be finally welcoming them to our retail line-up. “The new store will have been worth the wait for our guests, as we’re proud to say this is the largest Oliver Bonas in the region, with the widest range of products on offer. We know our guests will love the array of designs available in the new store.” Oliver Tress, founder of Oliver Bonas, added: “We are excited to be expanding our presence into Bluewater shopping centre. We’re not just opening a new store; we’re creating an uplifting space where curated design meets community, and we’re inviting people to come and explore, and to discover unique finds and a joyful experience.”

Lidl to continue London expansion with Fulham opening

22nd April 2024

Lidl is set to continue its expansion in London with the opening of a supermarket in Fulham. Opening this summer, the store on North End Road has entered the final stages of development, with a fit-out now underway. The opening forms part of the retailer’s £500m investment into its London estate, with Lidl achieving a market share high of 9.1% in the capital last year, according to Kantar. Grant Shulton, regional head of property for Lidl GB, said: “After all the support we’ve received from members of the community, its exciting to be able to share that we are one step closer to opening the doors to our Fulham store. “We have a clear commitment to providing shoppers with the very best value, and after becoming the third-largest supermarket in London it really reinforces our dedication to ensuring that everyone can eat affordable, high quality food, no matter where they live.” Last year, Lidl said it was targeting 1,100 shops in the UK by the end of 2025.

Trio of retailers to open new concept stores at Derbion

19th April 2024

A trio of leading brands are set to open new concept stores at East Midlands shopping destination Derbion, following a combined investment of over £5m. Sports and fashion retailer JD Sports is set to double the size of its existing presence at the Derby scheme, opening a new 20,175 sq ft flagship store in the fourth quarter of this year. Also relocating is fashion retailer New Look, which will open a 10,000 sq ft store this Autumn, offering a range of womenswear, footwear, accessories, lingerie, and concessions. Lingerie and intimates retailer Ann Summers will also be relocating within the centre and investing in its latest store design. The investments form part of Derbion’s continuing growth strategy to reposition the centre and support existing retailers alongside new lettings. Beth McDonald, Derbion managing director, said: “Over the past three years our leasing strategy has transformed Derbion, securing a host of new retail and leisure brands including Frasers, H&M Home and Rituals. Last year alone, 13 new brands opened their doors at the centre. “Our strategy has always been to broaden our range of retailers whilst at the same time support existing brands to deliver on their full potential through best-in-class stores. As […]

Details of Des Gunewardena’s Royal Exchange venue unveiled

19th April 2024

Details of former D&D London CEO Des Gunewardena’s latest venture at The Royal Exchange in the City of London have been unveiled. The venue will comprise of two hospitality concepts, Engel and Jang, and will occupy 6,500 sq ft of space on the north, south, and east mezzanines of the scheme’s central courtyard, Restaurant Online reports. The project is Gunewardena’s first since his departure from D&D. Occupying the north and east mezzanines, Engel will be a 1920s Berlin-inspired cocktail bar. There will also be an adjoining performance space – Engel Live – which will host live cabaret performances and be available for private hire. Meanwhile, Korean and Japanese-inspired restaurant Jang will occupy the south mezzanine, and will be led by chef Dana Choi, who has worked most recently as executive chef at Seoul Bird. Des Gunawardena said: “We’re excited about Engel and Jang bringing something new and different to The Royal Exchange with their unique approach to design, dining, and entertainment. “Engel is very much a venue for today but inspired by the spirit of 1920s Berlin. Jang will offer a more intimate dining experience that, at its heart, celebrates Korean cuisine. We hope, through Jang, that Korean cuisine will become...

Holiday business takes off at Manchester Arndale

19th April 2024

Manchester Arndale has signed an agreement with Kuoni Travel which will see the premium holiday operator open at the shopping centre. The new location sees Kuoni relocated from its existing Manchester branch on King Street, and will enable customers to discuss travel plans with Kuoni’s team over a glass of champagne. The company sells a wide-range of holidays such as family holidays, safaris, honeymoons, cruises, and city breaks. The letting comes as Manchester Arndale’s asset managers, M&G Real Estate and Global Mutual, look to diversify the range of occupiers at the scheme. Over the last 12 months, a number of high profile lettings have seen the centre’s footfall increase by 6.3%, with over 46 million people visiting Manchester Arndale and New Cathedral Street during 2023, as occupancy reached over 95%. Scott Linard, portfolio director for M&G Real Estate, said: “It is great to welcome Kuoni to Manchester Arndale as we look to ensure we continue to offer a diverse range of retail, leisure, and eateries to help attract visitors from the North West and beyond. Our wide variety of brands and strong footfall is ensuring we continue to attract leading occupiers to Manchester Arndale, and we hope to announce further […]

Uniqlo opens third Oxford Street store

18th April 2024

Uniqlo has opened the doors to its latest store at One Oxford Street, its third location on London’s most iconic shopping street. Opening on Thursday, the two-storey, 13,993 sq ft store has entrances on both Charing Cross Road and Oxford Street, sitting adjacent to Tottenham Court Road tube station. The store offers the clothing retailer’s range of menswear, womenswear, and childrenswear, and provides an in-store repair service as well as digital screens to showcase trending items. Dee Corsi, chief executive of the New West End Company, said: “We are delighted to see Uniqlo open the doors to its third Oxford Street store today at the east end of Oxford Street – an area which has been bolstered in the last twelve months by the presence of best-in-class retail, leisure and office facilities, and a bustling Elizabeth Line connection at Tottenham Court Road. Oxford Street is undergoing a once-in-generation transformation, and the continued investment in the street by global brands such as Uniqlo is testament to its enduring commercial appeal.” Savills advised the landlord Derwent London, whilst Paddy McCormack + Co advised Uniqlo.