Retail Property Deals

Chopstix and Haven Holidays team up for first ‘eat-in’ restaurant

16th April 2024

Pan-Asian quick-service restaurant brand Chopstix and its franchise partner Haven Holidays have opened their first-ever ‘eat-in’ restaurant together. Located at Haven’s Thornwick Bay site in East Yorkshire, the four-walled concept follows on from successful modular Chopstix units at the Presthaven, Haggerston Castle, and Craig Tara holiday parks. Chopstix and Haven said the opening of a traditional seated restaurant concept is an important step for the partnership, with both brands exploring future rollouts across the Haven estate. As with previous sites, full management of the Thornwick Bay restaurant will be overseen by Haven, with all team members undergoing a full induction. Expansion through franchise partnerships has been a decisive factor in Chopstix’s growth, which has secured a number of high-profile agreements with food and beverage operators over the last two years. The company is aiming to become the largest Asian-inspired quick-service restaurant in Europe, with a long-term ambition of 300 sites by 2027. Sam Elia, co-founder and director at Chopstix, said: “We’re thrilled to be opening a traditional Chopstix site with seating at Haven’s Thornwick Bay park, the first of in this format to open with the franchisee. The fact Haven is confident in adding this traditional format site to its current […]

Margaret Dabbs selects King’s Road for seventh London clinic

16th April 2024

The Sloane Stanley Estate is set to welcome beauty and wellness brand Margaret Dabbs to Chelsea’s King’s Road for its seventh clinic in London, and its 14th internationally. Taking a 824 sq ft corner unit at 325 King’s Road, the store will boast a large ground floor retail space showcasing a range of Margaret Dabbs’ products. Opening in May, the clinic will also offer a number of clinical treatments including medical pedicures from qualified podiatrists, anti-aging manicures, and beauty pedicures. The renowned brand will join an array of beauty and wellbeing names on the Sloane Stanley Estate, including Facegym, Blink Brow Bar and Duck & Dry, and will also complement nearby occupiers such as Azteca, Beaufort House, and Bluebird. Hannah Grievson, property director at Sloane Stanley, said: “Margaret Dabbs London is not only a leading name within its field, but Margaret herself is a fantastic entrepreneur, and it’s exciting to have her knowledge and expertise on King’s Road. She will deliver a premium, luxury service that will be transformative for our visitors, and enables us to enhance our wellness and beauty offer which we know is a huge area of interest for the community of Chelsea.” Margaret Dabbs OBE, founder...

Rupert Sanderson steps into Great Portland Street

16th April 2024

The Crown Estate has welcomed British footwear brand Rupert Sanderson to Great Portland Street, Fitzrovia, following its relocation from Mayfair. Spanning 925 sq ft, the flagship store comprises a showroom and boutique, with a working studio and offices on-site. The retailer will join a number of cultural brands in the area, including the likes of Donne Gallery, Rhodes Contemporary Art Gallery, and Nuru Ratnam. Rupert Sanderson, owner, said: “After 18 wonderful years on Bruton Place, it was time to explore a new area. Taking what we’ve learnt and what we love with us, I am delighted to be opening a larger premises with a little more exposure and a lot more space.” Richard Ellwood, head of customer partnerships and marketing at The Crown Estate, added: “Rupert Sanderson’s commitment to excellence and quality is the perfect fit for Great Portland Street and our wider portfolio in the capital. We are always looking to curate our retail offer to best serve the millions of overseas and domestic visitors with a keen eye for beautiful British design, making this compelling brand a natural addition to the West End.” The news follows a number of lettings across The Crown Estate’s portfolio towards the end […]

GPE signs luxury brand represent for Soho flagship

15th April 2024

Great Portland Estates (GPE) has signed luxury clothing retailer Represent on a 10-year lease for a new flagship store in Soho. Located at 135/141 Wardour Street, the 5,000 sq ft store, arranged over two floors, will be the retailer’s largest to date. Opening in early 2025, the store will offer a collection of street culture-inspired menswear, and follows on from the brand’s bricks-and-mortar debut in Los Angeles. Represent has signed a 10-year lease for the store, which is located within a five minute walk of Tottenham Court Road’s Elizabeth Line Station. Sarah Goldman, head of retail at GPE, said: “We are thrilled that Represent has chosen 135 Wardour Street for their London debut. This will be their second standalone store worldwide, hot on the heels of their LA opening. Vogue hailed them as the ‘global contemporary brand’ last year, and we have no doubt that the luxury streetwear brand will sit well among the local retail offer adjacent to brands including Supreme, Stussy and Ami; the area’s appeal is clearly fast becoming the key location for all the newest streetwear brands.” Paul Spencer, CEO of Represent, added: “We are excited to launch our London flagship store in the heart of […]

Martin Property Group acquires Romford shopping centre

15th April 2024

Northern Ireland-based Martin Property Group has acquired The Mercury Shopping Centre in Romford. The 243,089 sq ft asset in the heart of Romford Town Centre is anchored by Asda, Poundland, Premier Cinema, Mecca Bingo, and McDonalds. The scheme is also supported by a 998-space car park. Martin Property Group said it has a continued appetite for further acquisitions within the retail sector, alongside the office, residential, and hotel sectors.

Covent Garden welcomes trio of independents

15th April 2024

Shaftesbury Capital has signed a trio of independent brands to its Covent Garden portfolio, with one making its UK bricks-and-mortar debut. Luxury French candlemaker Trudon will open its first store in the UK at Seven Dials this June. Founded in 1643, Trudon is the world’s oldest active candlemaker and also offers a range of perfumes, diffusers, and room sprays. The store will be located on Monmouth Street, joining fellow artisan and heritage brands Aesop, Kiehl’s, Le Labo, Miller Harris, Pierre Herme Paris, and the recently announced beauty brand Elemis, which will open its first standalone store in London this spring. Also opening at Covent Garden is London-based piercing studio and jewellery retailer Metal Morphosis. The 30-year old business has a star-studded client base, having serviced the likes of Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, and Millie Bobby Brown. The new studio will offer a number of bespoke services including fine line tattoos, with clients able to book guest piercers and tattoo artists who will host monthly exclusive sessions. Meanwhile, hair extension specialists Hadley Yates has opened a new upsized and relocated studio on Shelton Street, following previous success within Seven Dials. The announcement follows the recent news that Swedish footwear brand Axel...

New owner looks to breathe life into Brighton’s historic Imperial Arcade

12th April 2024

Brighton’s historic Imperial Arcade has been acquired by local property investor and developer Moretons Investments. The asset – which dates back to 1923 – is a short walk from the seafront and located in close proximity to Churchill Square Shopping Centre. Moretons Investments said it is eager to revitalise Imperial Arcade, which has experienced a decline over the last few years. The group will be collaborate with local architects, planners, the council, and other professionals in an effort to transform the asset. Michael Blencowe, director of Moretons Investments, said: “Moretons Investments are thrilled to embark on this journey and excited about the positive impact it will have on consumers and residents alike. We aim to breathe new life into the Imperial Arcade, making it an exciting venue for the entire community to enjoy once again. “While plans are still in the early stages, Moretons’ vision includes creating a vibrant commercial space within the Arcade itself, complemented by luxurious residential accommodations, maximising the location’s potential.”

Investment giant Blackstone snaps up £230m worth of New Bond Street retail space

12th April 2024

American investment management company Blackstone has acquired £230m worth of retail space on London’s New Bond Street. The New York-based asset manager has snapped up 31,000 sq ft of space at 130-134 New Bond Street, The Times reports. The unit is currently let to luxury watchmakers Breitling and Audemars Piguet, as well as shoemaker Church’s. Smythson, the stationer, recently vacated the unit in a bid to cut costs. New Bond Street is the UK’s most expensive street for prime retail rentals, according to Cushman & Wakefield, and is ranked second in Europe behind Via Monte Napoleone in Milan. It is home to brands such as Burberry, Cartier, Chanel, Gucci, Prada and Valentino. Blackstone – which owns offices, warehouses, and country clubs in Britain – has typically avoided investing in the British retail sector. James Seppala, head of real estate in Europe at Blackstone, told The Times: “There are certain streets around the world, whether it’s Rue Saint-Honoré in Paris or Via Monte Napoleone in Milan or New Bond Street in London, which have seen really consistent occupier demand. “Luxury brands and retailers have really focused on expanding their footprints across some of these locations [where space] is finite. These streets only […]

White Stuff opens at Ashford’s McArthur Glen Outlet

12th April 2024

White Stuff has opened an outlet store at McArthur Glen Designer Shopping Outlet in Ashford, Kent. Located nearby to M&S and Barbour, the 1,300 sq ft space offers a range of the fashion retailer’s womenswear and menswear, including made-for-outlet exclusives. This comes as the retailer continues to expand in more shopping centres, retail parks, and city centres, with the brand recently opening a flagship store at Liverpool ONE. Chris Finch, area manager of White Stuff, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming customers into our new outlet in McArthur Glen, Ashford. The Designer Outlet is the perfect new home for White Stuff and has become a top destination for shoppers looking for unique pieces in the South East. Our new outlet store will offer shoppers our signature designs and high-quality fabrics at excellent prices.” White Stuff currently operates 114 shops nationwide, including 10 outlet stores and 36 concessions.

Bagel Factory leads trio of food and beverage signings at Liverpool ONE

12th April 2024

Bagel Factory is set to make its Liverpool debut, leading a trio of food and beverage signings at Grosvenor’s Liverpool ONE shopping centre. Opening a kiosk on Wall Street later this month, Bagel Factory will offer a range of bagel choices including savoury, sweet, gluten free, and vegan. The operator, which has recently become halal-friendly certified, looks to source high-quality ingredients to produce a fresh and healthy offering. Liverpool ONE has also welcomed the return of The Bus Yard to Chavasse Park, which has opened its pop-up at the scheme for the third time. Operating out of a converted vintage Bedford Truck bar, the pop-up will offer a range of food and drinks to be enjoyed al fresco, including cocktails, until August. The scheme will also welcome Liverpool-based street food vendor Big Kahuna to Wall Street, adding its Thai cuisine food truck to Liverpool ONE’s F&B offering. Rob Deacon, asset management director at Liverpool ONE, said: “Liverpool ONE continues to be the destination of choice for brand’s launching debut sites in the city. The Bagel Factory’s commitment to Liverpool ONE, coupled with the third return of The Bus Yard and Big Kahuna’s pop-up, demonstrates the diverse range of F&B we...

Wendy’s targets the North in expansion drive

11th April 2024

American restaurant chain Wendy’s is targeting the North of England in its latest expansion drive, lining up openings in Liverpool and Middlesbrough. Both restaurants are set to open later this year. The chain – which has been rapidly expanding across the UK – has recently opened a number of restaurants in the North, including in Sheffield and Hull. Michael Clarke, UK managing director at Wendy’s, said: “We’ve seen great momentum in building Wendy’s fandom in the UK, and the love and excitement for this iconic brand grows stronger with each new restaurant opening. British consumers constantly ask: ‘Where’s Wendy’s opening next?’, and we’re thrilled to answer the call by rapidly expanding our brand presence into new areas across the country, giving Brits more access to fresh, high-quality food that they deserve.” Wendy’s – which opened its first UK site in Reading in 2021 – is also targeting an opening in Newcastle, with plans submitted for the creation of a restaurant within a Grade II-listed building on Grainger Street.

Investment firm acquires prime Fulham Road retail property

10th April 2024

Pan-European investment firm Maya Capital has acquired a retail and showroom property at 137-167 Fulham Road, London. The property covers approximately 24,228 sq ft and is home to a number of high-end tenants including Oka, Janus Et Cie, and Poltrona Frau. Other occupiers on Fulham Road – which is located in Kensington & Chelsea – include Chanel, Acne, and Carolina Herrera. This acquisition is part of Maya Capital’s strategy to invest in prime locations across Europe, focusing on central urban areas that offer significant opportunities for value creation and development. With this purchase, the firm adds a prime piece of real estate to its portfolio which contributes to the luxury retail environment of Fulham Road, increasing its presence in the European investment market. David Pralong, Managing Partner of Maya Capital, said: “We are thrilled to announce the successful acquisition of this prime retail asset in London. We continue to select the best assets in European cities to create value for our investors. We remain keenly focused on central urban locations where we continue to see substantial investment opportunity to improve the landscape of cities having mandates to acquire value-add offices, living assets, retail, and urban warehouses.”