Retail Property Deals

Sloane Stanley brings Third Space to Chelsea

24th July 2024

The Sloane Stanley Estate has reached an agreement with Third Space which will see the luxury health club open at 19 Mallord Street in Chelsea. The 30,000 sq ft gym – which will open in the former BT Telephone Exchange – follows the success of Third Space’s locations in other London locations such as Wimbledon, Battersea, and Mayfair. The new location will utilise state-of-the-art equipment, training, and recuperation zones to help its members to achieve their goals. Third Space will look to fit seamlessly with the variety of independent retailers, F&B, and leisure operators situated on the nearby King’s Road and Fulham Road. Hannah Grievson, property director at Sloane Stanley, said: “Third Space is one of the most sought-after luxury fitness and wellness brands in London, so this is a milestone moment for Sloane Stanley. Not only does Third Space echo the character and ambience of the area, it emphasises our commitment to delivering a greater number of leisure and well-being facilities to the community of Chelsea. Selecting the best brands for our portfolio is at the forefront of our strategy, and we are delighted to be welcoming Third Space to the estate next year.” This new follows a series of food […]

Clearbell brings Thai restaurant to Durham’s Riverwalk

23rd July 2024

Clearbell Property Partners has agreed a new letting to Zaap Thai at the Riverwalk, a mixed-use development in Durham city centre. The Thai restaurant operator has taken a 15-year lease for 3,500 sq ft unit, and will join other well-known occupiers including Cosy Club, El Pincho tapas bar, TGI Fridays and Turtle Bay. Zaap Thai currently has branches across locations in Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham, Newcastle, and York, and has plans to open two additional major locations over the next 12 months. The operator’s branch will feature its trademark open kitchen, tuk tuk seating booths, neon lighting, and unique graffiti. Overlooking the River Wear and with views of Durham’s cathedral and castle, the Riverwalk is home to both retail and leisure occupiers, as well as 253 units of student accommodation. Clearbell purchased the 250,000 sq ft centre in 2014. Toby Saul, associate director at Clearbell Capital, said: “Zaap Thai will be a fantastic addition to the variety of great food, drink and leisure operators that already call the Riverwalk their home, with Zaap’s accessible but high-quality offering providing the perfect blend for the Riverwalk’s customers. Providing new and exciting retail and leisure options for our customers is part of our active...

Slim Chickens cooks up Festival Place opening

23rd July 2024

Slim Chickens has opened a new location at Festival Place, with the American fried chicken restaurant making its debut in Basingstoke. Taking a 3,503 sq ft unit on the scheme’s ground floor, Slim Chickens sits within the F&B-focused mall opposite the Festival Square entrance and is in close proximity to Five Guys and Côte Brasserie. The restaurant – which is operated by Boporan Restaurant Group – has space for over 85 diners and offers a range of cooked-to-order chicken. Slim Chickens joins Mexican-inspired concept, El Bigote, and local street-food operator, Festival Street Kitchen, both of which have recently opened at Festival Place. The impact of the new operators can already be seen across the destination, with total F&B sales up 4.3% in the year-to-date, compared to the same period in 2023. Poppy Radford, asset manager at Sovereign Centros from CBRE, said: “Festival Place’s F&B is going from strength to strength, evidenced by the sales growth across our line-up of dining brands. The opening of Slim Chickens is geared towards taking this further, as we continue to evolve the destination, providing more reasons to visit and more experiences to encourage longer stays. Festival Place continues to assert itself as a hospitality […]

House of CB to open 45,000 sq ft flagship Oxford Street store

22nd July 2024

Womenswear retailer House of CB is set to open a permanent flagship store on London’s Oxford Street, with the brand taking 45,000 sq ft of space. House of CB, which currently has standalone stores in Los Angeles and Atlanta, opened a 10,000 sq ft pop-up store at 225 Oxford Street last year, but has now taken an additional 35,000 sq ft at the same site. The brand – which was founded in 2010 by then 17-year-old Conna Walker – was previously only trading from the ground and first floors of the Oxford Street store, but will now also operate from the second and third floors. Paul Souber, head of Central London retail at Colliers, which advised the landlord, said: “This commitment from House of CB is testament to the global status that Oxford Street provides as a prime retail destination offering the highest levels of brand exposure and unmatched footfall. Oxford Circus receives 190 million annual visitors, with House of CB taking centre stage opposite the hotly antcipated IKEA flagship opening later this year. “House of CB has made a significant shift in recent years from being a pureplay and hugely successful online retailer, to opening physical stores in international […]

Trio of British menswear brands sign for Covent Garden’s Seven Dials

22nd July 2024

Shaftesbury Capital’s Seven Dials neighbourhood in Covent Garden, London, is set to welcome a quartet of store openings, including a trio of British menswear brands. The destination is set to welcome a first standalone store for NN.07, a West End debut for Form&Thread, and the opening of Wax London’s third boutique, all of which will be joined by an upsized flagship store for footwear brand Vivobarefoot. Opening its first standalone store in the UK, sustainable menswear brand NN.07 will open at 7 Earlham Street in August. Currently only found at luxury stockists across the UK, the Covent Garden opening represents a milestone moment for the brand. Meanwhile, British premium menswear brand Form&Thread recently opened at 68 Neal Street. The Covent Garden location becomes the brand’s second permanent store in London and its first in the West End. Also joining the Seven Dials neighbourhood is premium menswear brand Wax London, which has opened at 45 Neal Street. Its largest location yet and its third in London, the store stocks a range of clothing, footwear, and accessories. These openings come as sustainable footwear and natural health brand Vivobarefoot recommits to Neal Street, with the brand opening an upsized store and increasing its […]

Victoria Leeds to welcome Barbour for city debut

22nd July 2024

British lifestyle brand Barbour is set to open at Redical’s Victoria Leeds shopping centre, marking a city debut for the retailer. The 2,679 sq ft store will span two floors and will be the brand’s first new ‘heritage’ retail shop outside of London. Located within a Grade II-listed unit at Victoria Quarter’s 9-11 King Edward Street, the store will look to complement the scheme’s existing line-up of British brands including Vivienne Westwood, Mulberry, Boodles and Penhaligons. Rachel Bradburn, leasing director at Victoria Leeds, said: “Victoria Leeds has always been a home for leading British and independent brands but since Redical’s new ownership, we’ve seen a significant shift. Our impressive performance so far this year, coupled with the arrival of prestigious brands like Barbour with their newest concept store, exemplifies this momentum. This latest signing is yet another example of Victoria Leeds being the destination of choice for high calibre brands seeking a premium location with a proven loyal customer base. We’re very excited for Barbour’s new store opening later this summer!” The news follows the recent announcement that Missoma, the contemporary jewellery brand, is set to open its second-ever permanent, flagship store this summer at Victoria Leeds. The 2,250 sq...

Saltrock surfs into West Yorkshire’s Junction 32

19th July 2024

Surfwear retailer Saltrock is set to open its first store in West Yorkshire at Castleford’s Junction 32 outlet shopping centre. Opening on July 20th, the 1,900 sq ft store will look to serve as a hub for surf enthusiasts, beachgoers, and outdoor adventurers, offering a range of apparel and accessories for men, women, and children. The outlet centre is riding the wave of the increasing popularity of surfing in the UK, with sales of surf wear fashion also seeing a boost. The signing builds on the recent opening of Sports Direct and the expansion of Mountain Warehouse at Junction 32. Saltrock’s arrival reflects the scheme’s strategy of introducing brands which cater to current fashion trends and consumer demand for wider sports apparel. Rachel Scott, head of leasing at Global Mutual, said: “Welcoming Saltrock is a really important moment for us – we watch shifts in consumer trends carefully and have seen the rise of surfing, cold water swimming, van life and festival-going. Saltrock speaks directly to this movement, and we really see a place for this vibrant brand at Junction 32.” Louise Rees, head of retail at Saltrock, added: “This location is perfect for us to connect with new customers and engage with […]

River Island to open expanded concept store at Newcastle’s Eldon Square

17th July 2024

River Island is set to relocate and upsize its store at Eldon Square shopping centre in Newcastle. Spanning over 20,000 sq ft, the new store will be located across two floors on St Andrews Way in the former Topshop unit. The new concept store will offer exclusive products, specialist sections, and next-generation technology, allowing customers to order items in-store or for home delivery. The digital-first service will also extend to the fitting rooms, where products will be identified on entry for ease of purchase. Customers will also be able to make use of touch screens to ask for more sizes, choose alternative styles, or get help from in-store experts. River Island’s new opening aligns with the strategic vision of Eldon Square’s owners, XPE Group, which recently rebranded from Intu Debenture. Under its new identity, XPE Group will look to implement strategies aimed at future-proofing its three schemes, with its portfolio also including XSite Glasgow and The Potteries Centre Stoke. Pete Cooper, director at XPE Group, said: “The expansion of River Island’s concept store represents a significant milestone in Newcastle’s retail landscape, marking the first retail announcement since Intu Debenture rebranded to XPE Group. The new store supports our strategy of elevating […]

Spinners to open Touchwood’s first competitive socialising venue

16th July 2024

Spinners is set to open the first competitive socialising venue at Solihull’s Touchwood, bringing crazy golf, interactive darts, shuffleboard, and electronic clay shooting to the shopping centre. The operator has signed a 15-year lease for a 5,852 sq ft unit located within the scheme’s dining and leisure-focused upper mall area. To meet Spinners’ requirements, the unit was extended through the conversion of an adjacent balcony and mall area. Spinners at Touchwood will become the operator’s third location, following existing venues in Plymouth and Reading. Jamie Bylett, director at Spinners, said the West Midlands has “long been a target location” for the operator. The latest letting strengthens Touchwood’s retail and leisure line-up, with the scheme now 99% let. Spinners complements a dining offer that includes high street names such as Nandos, Wagamama, and The Real Greek, as well as independents such as Yakinori Japanese Kitchen, Latin American streetfood specialist Tio Latino, and the Jamaican-inspired Jamaya. Notable additions to Touchwood’s retail line-up over the past year include Mango, Levi Strauss & Co, Mint Velvet and Rituals, which joined existing blue-chip names such as Apple, John Lewis and Zara. Following its acquisition of Touchwood three years ago, owner The Ardent Companies and asset […]

Berghaus to open second standalone UK store at Gloucester Quays

16th July 2024

Leading outdoor brand Berghaus is set to open only its second standalone store in the UK at Peel Retail & Leisure’s Gloucester Quays outlet centre. Opening this summer, the 2,117 sq ft store will be located opposite Adidas and offer products for activities such as walking, mountaineering, and climbing. Providing a range of clothing, footwear, and equipment for both men and women, the store will be Bergahaus’s first to experiment with a new premium concept, which the brand plans to expand further into 2025. Inspired by the natural environment, the new space will be fitted out in a minimalist design, featuring life-like foliage on the exterior, complemented by wooden furniture and metal finishes with a weather-worn look inside the store. The arrival of Berghaus will add to the existing outdoor shopping options available at Gloucester Quays, such as Trespass, Mountain Warehouse, and The North Face. Paul Carter, asset director at Peel Retail & Leisure, said: “Gloucester Quays has always performed well in the outdoor clothing and accessories space, and clearly Berghaus agree given this will be just their second standalone store. Adding Berghaus to our impressive line-up of outdoor brands demonstrates our commitment to responding to our customers’ needs and wants, as...

Next-gen entertainment venue Spider Box to debut at Manchester’s Printworks

16th July 2024

Spider Box, a brand new social entertainment venue, is set to open its debut site at Printworks in Manchester this September. The 8,000 sq ft venue will offer visitors live music, karaoke, and music quizzes, complemented by an in-house food and drink offering. Central to the venue will be the performance area, which is set to feature live music from established and emerging artists from across the North West, live DJs and, in a UK first, a digital human DJ called Dex. Visitors will also be able to compete on six racing simulators, allowing them to hit the track on world-famous racing circuits. Spider Box becomes the latest addition to Printworks following the completion of a £27m investment programme earlier this year, which saw the introduction of Europe’s largest digital ceiling screen. Rob Hetherington, CEO of Spider Entertainment, said: “We are thrilled to be bringing Spider Box Manchester to Printworks this September. We have considered multiple locations across the UK for our first Spider Box venue, and we are delighted to be opening the first in Manchester, a city rich with music, culture and entertainment. We believe we have an immersive entertainment offering like no other, and guests can expect […]

PANGAIA opens first standalone UK store on Carnaby Street

15th July 2024

Lifestyle apparel brand PANGAIA has opened its first standalone store in the UK at 57 Carnaby Street in Soho, London. The environmentally-conscious retailer has taken 1,500 sq ft of space, bringing its collection of lifestyle products to the UK for the first time as a standalone unit. The store – which stocks a range of genderless adult and kids’ styles in bright and neutral shades – features a large blue sphere installation, created to symbolise the earth. Also featured is a live planter designed to survive in the microclimate of the store. Michelle McGrath, executive director at Shaftesbury Capital, said: “PANGAIA is one of the most interesting and innovation-driven brands globally. Their flagship UK debut in Soho’s Carnaby Street underscores the district’s reputation for UK firsts, world-class experiences and sought-after consumer demographics. The signing highlights our approach to active curation, seeking out challenger and high growth brands which complement the muti-dimensional nature of the area and its existing brands and restaurants such as Aimé Leon Dore, Adidas Originals, END, Mountain, Kiln and Rita’s.” Nathalie Longuet, CEO at PANGAIA, added: “We are excited to open the doors of our very first standalone UK store in the cultural hub of Carnaby Street...