Retail Property Deals

Indoor adventure park takes slice of former John Lewis at Atria Watford

7th August 2024

Indoor adventure park concept Flip Out is set to take a chunk of the former John Lewis department store at Atria Watford. Opening later this year, the 33,000 sq ft venue will offer a variety of activities such as dodgems, soft play, a gaming zone, roller-skating, donut slides, trampolines, and an inflatable area. Flip Out at Atria Watford will also house a Ninja Playground arena, featuring obstacles and tasks for friends and family to take each other on in a competitive environment. A ‘Laser Quest’ experience will also be available, where players will be pitted against one another in a space-themed stage surrounded by bright lights, special effects, and mazes. A food and drinks menu will also be available at an on-site diner, offering the likes of pizza, burgers, hot dogs, and Costa Coffee. Other operators which have taken space in the former John Lewis department store include B&M, Dunelm, Poundland, Choice Discount, and a combined store for Peacocks and Bonmarché. Steve Gray, head of European retail asset management at Global Mutual, said: “Experiences now sit at the core of retail. Guests no longer visit our centres simply to shop – footfall is driven by the offer of a ‘day […]

Sephora continues expansion with Bluewater signing

7th August 2024

Beauty retailer Sephora is set to continue its expansion with the opening of a new store at Bluewater in Kent. The 4,593 sq ft store will be Sephora’s seventh in the UK, and will offer a range of cosmetics, including some brands which are exclusive to the retailer. Sephora first opened in the UK in 2022, and is set to open stores soon in Newcastle’s Eldon Square, Gateshead’s Metrocentre, and Birmingham’s Bullring. James Waugh, centre director at Bluewater, said: “Sephora is one of the most regularly requested brands by our guests, so we’re really excited to be welcoming it to our retail line-up later this year.  “The brand’s only Kent-based store will be worth the wait for our guests, as it will bring multiple of the world’s most viral beauty brands to Bluewater that our customers wouldn’t have been able to shop for before Sephora’s arrival.” Sarah Boyd, managing director of Sephora UK, added: “We are thrilled to continue this momentum of our rapid growth by opening Sephora stores in key shopping destinations such as the iconic Bluewater Shopping Centre.  “We have loved seeing the enthusiasm and appetite from our customers around the UK of where they would like us...

Castore set to join Derbion line-up

7th August 2024

Sportswear brand Castore is set to join the line up at Derbion in Derby later this month. The retailer has signed a 10-year lease for a 1,771 sq ft unit on the second level of the scheme, adjacent to Foot Locker. Founded in Manchester in 2015, Castore is a sportswear and athletic clothing brand which supplies a number of sports teams including the England Cricket Team, the Red Bull Racing and McLaren Formula One teams, and is the shirt supplier for football teams such as Rangers, Bayer Leverkusen, Everton, and the Republic of Ireland national team. The Derbion store – which will open this month – will offer a range of men’s and women’s sportswear in addition to team-branded clothing. Its arrival is set to expand Derbion’s sports and fitness offering which currently includes the likes of JD Sports, Lids, Sports Direct, and Foot Locker. This follows news that JD Sports has expanded its presence at Derbion by taking a new 20,175 sq ft space, more than doubling its footprint at the scheme. Beth McDonald, managing director at Derbion, said: “Castore has significantly expanded in recent years in response to increasing demand from customers seeking high quality performance sportswear. It is fantastic […]

AllSaints pops up for Liverpool ONE return

7th August 2024

British fashion retailer AllSaints has made its return to Liverpool ONE shopping centre, opening a pop-up store on Peter’s Lane. The 4,000 sq ft store marks a return to the destination for the brand’s of leather jackets, accessories, and menswear and womenswear collections. The return of AllSaints represents the recommitment of a leading British brand to Liverpool ONE, following a string of successful activations at the scheme from retailers such as Sisters & Seekers, ARNE, and Lounge. Rob Deacon, director of asset management at Grosvenor, said: “We are always listening to our dedicated customer base, connecting brands with people, and delivering meaningful short-term activations is the ideal way to ensure Liverpool ONE continues to be a place people want to visit. We are pleased to welcome yet another leading brand to our already highly unique and impactful calendar of activations.” Frankie Mallinson, global retail director of AllSaints, added: “AllSaints’ latest opening at Liverpool ONE is an exciting step in the brand’s evolution. Our new location on the fashion-focused Peter’s Lane is ideal to launch our latest pop-up, and AllSaints sits seamlessly amongst the curated line-up. The scheme has been the perfect home for AllSaints in the past, so we are […]

Co-op continues EG franchise partnership with Aberdeenshire opening

6th August 2024

Co-op is set to open another convenience store and service station in collaboration with franchise partner EG On The Move, located off the A92 road between Aberdeen and Portlethen. The 24-hour service station includes four electric vehicle charging points, 10 fuel pumps, and HGV lanes, whilst the Co-op convenience store offers the retailer’s range of groceries and essentials, as well as a self-service Starbucks machine. The food service offer on the site also includes a Sbarro branch – a fast food restaurant specialising in New York–style pizza. The new store is one of seven across the UK to launch as part of a trial between Co-op and EG On The Move, EG Group’s retained petrol forecourt business. It is also the second to open in Scotland following the opening of Nitshill Services near Glasgow last week. Co-op has significant growth ambitions for its franchise business, with growth focused on locations such as petrol forecourts; universities and hospitals. Martin Rogers, director of partnership development, Co-op, said: “We are delighted to be working with EG On The Move, our second forecourt partner, helping us achieve our ambitious plans in this exciting sector. We look forward to further growing our franchise business, working with partners of […]

EL&N opens new concept at Covent Garden’s Market Building

6th August 2024

Globally-recognised café brand EL&N has debuted a new concept at Covent Garden’s heritage-listed market building. Located on the pedestrianised Piazza, The EL&N Deli & Bakery spans 650 sq ft and is supplemented by a 50-cover al fresco terrace. The EL&N Deli & Bakery – which is EL&N’s first ever sub-brand – looks to blend modern flair with the brand’s interior-led identity. The space’s soft furnishings have been dressed in a new colour palette of soft greens and burnt terracotta orange. Its menu features the brand’s signature brunch classics as well as a range of new items such as pizzas and focaccias. The EL&N Deli & Bakery joins Covent Garden’s line-up of food and beverage concepts, including Chestnut Bakery, The Petersham Wine Bar & Deli, ST JOHN Bakery and WatchHouse Coffee. The opening follows the announcement that luxury French pâtisserie brand Ladurée has recently opened a new space for tea and haute cuisine above its flagship store in Covent Garden’s Market Building.

Leeds’ St Johns Centre fully let after busy summer of leasing

6th August 2024

St Johns Shopping Centre in Leeds is now fully let after a busy summer of leasing activity, with the scheme welcoming the arrival of three new retailers, four lease renewals, and the announcement of two new food and beverage operators. The scheme – which is asset managed by Global Mutual – has welcomed the recent arrivals of home furnishing brand Julian Charles, women’s fashion retailer Klass, and footwear brand Pavers, equating to approximately 10,000 sq ft in new lettings. St Johns has also announced that food and beverage brands Churros Locos and Burger King are set to open this autumn. They will join the scheme’s existing F&B lineup, which includes the likes of Subway, McDonald’s, and Taco Bell. St Johns has also retained Poundland, Bodycare, and Yours, which have all committed to an additional five years at the centre, and fashion retailer Roman, which has invested in extensive refurbishment and expansion to its’ new store. Steven Gray, head of European retail asset management at Global Mutual, said ‘We are delighted with the new openings. The strength of recent footfall and trading performance is a great indicator of the scheme’s success. With the lower mall now being fully let to much-loved high-street […]

The Mercers’ Company brings over 11,200 sq ft of brands to Covent Garden

6th August 2024

The Mercers’ Company has agreed a number of deals which will see four fashion and beauty brands take over 11,200 sq ft of space at Covent Garden. Responsible womenswear brand Nobody’s Child will open a new flagship store at 3 Neal Street, following the success of its pop-up on Long Acre last May. The two-storey, 2,044 sq ft unit is the brand’s largest to date, joining its locations on Carnaby Street and Spitalfields. Meanwhile, cosmetics retailer SpaceNK has opened an upsized space on Neal Street, almost doubling its presence in Covent Garden. The double-frontage 4,285 sq ft store at 5-7 Neal Street represents an 80% uplift in space for SpaceNK compared to its previous store. Also joining Covent Garden is London-based womenswear brand Whistles, which will open a new flagship store at 117 Long Acre. The 3,669 sq ft space will span two floors, and be the first of a new store concept for the brand. Finally, Samsonite-owned French luggage brand Lipault has opened its doors on 120 Long Acre, marking a UK debut. The 1,206 sq ft location is the brand’s fourth store in Europe, joining three sites in Paris. Simon Taylor, property director at the Mercers’ Company, said: […]

Clay shooting bar concept fires off Birmingham signing

2nd August 2024

Independent property company Hortons has agreed a deal to bring an indoor interactive clay shooting concept to Piccadilly Arcade in Birmingham. Clays has agreed a 25-year lease for a unit fronting on to New Street for its first site outside of London, joining its outlets in Canary Wharf and The City. The venue will provide a competitive socialising experience for groups of up to 20 people with a fully digitised clay shooting game, alongside a food and cocktail offer. The new Birmingham location will allow guests to choose either a semi-private peg or their own private room, where they can choose from a collection of six games. Nina Meeks, management surveyor at Hortons, said: “Clays has reinvented a traditional country sport by combining an exciting virtual shooting experience with beautiful bar environments. Its arrival at Piccadilly Arcade complements our existing range of independent tenants, and brings a completely unique proposition to the competitive socialising arena in Birmingham.” Tom Snellock, CEO of Clays, added: “The last twelve months have been an incredibly exciting time for Clays, and I’m so glad that we can officially announce our expansion into Birmingham. Piccadilly Arcade is a building steeped in history, so it’s fantastic that we […]

Independent retailer Northhome upsizes at Victoria Leeds

2nd August 2024

Independent home décor retailer Northhome is set to upsize and relocate its store at Victoria Leeds. Building on the success of its initial pop-up and subsequent debut site at the destination, the retailer will be moving to the scheme’s County Arcade, trading from a four-storey, 4,230 sq ft store. The store – which is double the size of Northhome’s previous location – will offer a collection of Nordic-inspired homeware pieces, including kitchen and tableware, furniture, home fragrances, skincare, and packaged food items. Rachel Bradburn, leasing director at Victoria Leeds, said: “To play a role in the local success story that is Northhome, having evolved from an initial pop-up in Victoria Leeds, to debuting its first permanent store and soon to unveil its much bigger, bolder and better showroom, has been an absolute pleasure! Supporting independent brands and local businesses remains crucial in our ongoing efforts to elevate the tenant mix and safeguard the line-up of authentic, innovative and leading brands at Victoria Leeds.” This news follows the recent announcement that British heritage and lifestyle brand Barbour is set to open its first standalone store in Leeds at Victoria Quarter later this year. The debut Barbour store will be the brand’s...

Co-op opens third roadside store with EG On The Move

2nd August 2024

Co-op has opened its third convenience store in collaboration with franchise partner EG On The Move, EG Group’s petrol forecourt business. The store – located at Nitshill Services near Glasgow – is the first of the partnership’s to open in Scotland, with seven trial stores set to open in total across the UK. The convenience store offers Co-op’s core range of produce and essentials, as well as a self-service Costa Coffee machine. In addition, electric vehicle charging is also available at the service station. The food service offer at the site will also include a branch of Greggs and Starbucks coffee.  Martin Rogers, director of partnership development at Co-op, said: We are delighted to be working with EG On The Move, our second forecourt partner, helping us achieve our ambitious plans in this exciting sector. We look forward to further growing our franchise business, working with partners of pedigree to bring Co-op products and membership to more communities, creating more value for our member-owners.” Zuber Issa, CEO of EG On The Move, said: “EG On The Move is an acknowledged petrol forecourt and convenience retail destination operator, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to collaborate with Co-op to roll out […]

Evolve Estates snaps up Sunderland shopping centre

1st August 2024

Evolve Estates, part of commercial property and investment collective M Core, has acquired The Bridges Shopping Centre in Sunderland. Spanning 595,000 sq ft, the shopping centre is home to almost 100 units and is anchored by Primark, Next, and Tk Maxx. The scheme is also supplemented by a 938-space car park. Evolve Estates purchased the centre as part of its ongoing acquisition drive which has seen it purchase shopping centres, parades, and retail parks in different parts of the country. Joe O’Keefe, co-founder at Evolve Estates said: “The acquisition of The Bridges Shopping Centre reflects our commitment to investing in high-potential retail assets. “We see significant potential in The Bridges and look forward to working with stakeholders to further diversifying the tenant mix.” JLL, Cited Property, and Montagu Evans acted for Evolve Estates. JLL represented the vendor. This year alone, M Core has acquired has acquired Billingham town centre in County Durham, the Princes Square retail development in Glasgow, a food-anchored convenience centre in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, and Westhill District Centre, near Aberdeen.