Retail Property Deals

Gaming entertainment company opens flagship store in Doncaster

11th October 2024

Gaming entertainment company The Arcade Warehouse has opened a flagship store on Doncaster’s High Street. The operator has taken a 14,000 sq ft open-plan property in close proximity to Doncaster’s historic Mansion House and Frenchgate Shopping Centre. The opening comes after three years of growth for The Arcade Warehouse, which has established bases across Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Tyne and Wear. The property was leased by consultancy group Barnsdales, which also let a 4,574 sq ft office unit at Carolina Way office park to IT services and cybersecurity provider, Wavenet. Jason Barnsdale, managing director of Barnsdales, said: “I’m very happy to welcome The Arcade Warehouse and Wavenet into our growing portfolio of commercial property leases throughout Doncaster, South Yorkshire and the UK. “The commercial property market is truly starting to recover from the unsettling impact of a tough few years and these lettings are a testament to the fact that the market is adapting towards experience and infrastructure-led enterprises like these two businesses.“ Caton Airey, regional manager of The Arcade Warehouse, added: “We’ve been looking to establish a foothold in Doncaster for years now, but the right property was proving quite evasive. Barnsdales showed us around the high street premises and we simply fell […]

White Stuff picks Gatwick for airport debut

10th October 2024

White Stuff is set to open its first store within an airport next month within London Gatwick’s North Terminal. Taking a 1,044 sq ft space, the fashion retailer will offer a range of womenswear and menswear including holiday items such as swimwear, summer dresses, t-shirts, shorts, and linen. White Stuff has recently been ramping up its expansion across the UK, and now operates 123 stores and 54 concessions nationwide. Tracey Verghese, trading director at White Stuff, said: “Opening our first airport store is a major milestone for White Stuff, introducing our brand to many more customers every year. Our unique designs and quality fabrics will be a great addition to London Gatwick’s portfolio of brands. “London Gatwick marks our eighth opening or relocation in 2024, as we continue to extend White Stuff’s reach and customer base. We can’t wait to meet all the travellers, especially those who may not have experienced White Stuff before.” London Gatwick has invested over £10 million into its newly redeveloped North Terminal departure lounge, which now features contemporary seating and flooring as well as a new orientation zone. Bozena Stoiceva, account lead speciality retail at London Gatwick, added: “We are really excited to be welcoming White Stuff’s...

LCP brings Cake Inn to two locations across the West Midlands

10th October 2024

LCP, part of property and investment collective M Core, has signed Cake Inn to two locations across the West Midlands. The desserts retailer has signed a two-year lease for a kiosk at the Wulfrun Shopping Centre in Wolverhampton and a three-year lease for a unit at Dudley’s Churchill Shopping Centre. Cake Inn will be the first operator to bring eggless cakes to the city centres, catering to diverse dietary preferences. The investment sees a six-figure sum committed to the two shopping centres, and underlines the brand’s commitment to the area. Plans are already underway for the retailer to open additional units as part of a wider investment strategy. Kristien Neve, asset manager at LCP, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Cake Inn to our centres. Their unique offering of eggless cakes is a fantastic addition that aligns with our commitment to providing diverse and high-quality options for our shoppers. This investment not only enhances the food choices available at Wulfrun but also supports our local economy by creating new job opportunities. We look forward to a successful partnership with Cake Inn.”

Loungers to join Merry Hill’s leisure quarter

10th October 2024

Hospitality operator Loungers is set to join the leisure quarter at Merry Hill in Dudley, operating under its Lounges brand. Opening in January 2025, Toledo Lounge will take a 3,200 sq ft space – adding a casual dining offer to the destination’s nearly-completed 55,000 sq ft leisure quarter. The venue will serve Lounges’ all-day menu, which includes a drinks offer that transitions from breakfast hot drinks into evening cocktails. Since opening its first location in 2007, Lounges has evolved through ambitious growth plans which saw it open its 200th site last year. Toledo Lounge will join anchor tenant Hollywood Bowl at Merry Hill’s leisure quarter, as well as fellow casual dining restaurants ASK Italian, Wagamama, Wingstop, and Bon Pan Asia. Following the leisure quarter’s full launch in September 2023, leisure and restaurants have been the two highest growth categories for sales at the destination. Alistair Winning, asset manager at Sovereign Centros from CBRE, said: “Several dining brands have been added to Merry Hill’s new leisure quarter in the past 12 months, and Lounges are another who will help shape this vibrant hub for eating and entertainment. Lounges relaxed environment will fit seamlessly with Merry Hill’s vision to create a welcoming […]

Evolve Estates signs two new tenants to Scottish shopping centre

10th October 2024

Evolve Estates, part of commercial property and investment collective M Core, has signed two new tenants at the Penicuik Centre in Scotland. Sushi restaurant Yokohama Sushi has signed a 10-year lease for an 824 sq ft unit, joining other food and beverage tenants at the scheme including Greggs and Domino’s. Meanwhile, Maj Gifts Ornaments will also join the scheme after signing a one-year lease for a 1,940 sq ft unit. The new brands will join existing operators such as Farmfoods and anchor tenant B&M at the scheme, which is located in the commuter town of Penicuik, just 10 miles south of Edinburgh. The Penicuik Centre is home to 19 units and over 46,000 sq ft of retail space. Guy Robinson, asset manager at Evolve Estates, said: “We are thrilled to have secured these two new brands at Penicuik Centre further strengthening both our food and beverage and retail offering. “We’re committed and focused to expanding the tenant mix even further and over the coming months we’ll be looking to announce more new tenants.”

Immersive leisure concept to make UK debut at The O2

9th October 2024

Immersive and interactive game concept Activate is set to make its UK debut at The O2 in London this winter. Hailing from Canada, Activate has been brought across the pond by experiential group We Do Play, which specialises in leisure and hospitality concepts. Spanning 10,000 sq ft, the new venue will be located in close proximity to popular venues such as Mamma Mia! The Party and TOCA Social. Activate will look to deliver a lively gaming facility for The O2’s customer base, with multiple game rooms where visitors can navigate and take part in physical and mental challenges. Activate’s decision to join the O2 follows a significant year of growth for the destination’s leisure category, which has seen an increase in like-for-like sales of 6.6% compared to 2023. This comes after the destination’s Entertainment District reached full leasing completion earlier this year, bringing in operators such as Clip ‘n Climb – which opens this month – and Padel Social Club. Janine Constantin-Russell, managing director of the Entertainment District and Outlet Shopping at The O2, said: “Leisure has always been a core part of The O2’s offering, consistently delivering an unmatched experience that speaks volumes on how we resonate with operators...

Dunelm to make central London debut

8th October 2024

Dunelm is set to open its first-ever store in central London at URW’s Westfield London shopping centre. The homewares retailer will open a 4,500 sq ft store this winter, as it looks to expand its reach in the capital. The store will offer Dunelm’s full range of home and furniture categories, including its latest collections and collaborations. Dunelm – which opened six new stores in the last financial year – is set to launch a number of new stores over the coming months in various sizes and formats. Earlier this year, the retailer said it was “increasingly confident” in its smaller format stores. Nick Wilkinson, chief executive of Dunelm, said: “We’re really excited to be bringing Dunelm to Westfield. It gives Londoners much easier access to our specialist offer for the home and starts to unlock a real opportunity for our brand in the capital. “This is our first step into central London, where we have ambitions to further expand our presence, alongside wider plans to deliver our next wave of store openings across the UK as we gain confidence in showcasing our ranges in a variety of different sizes and formats.” Kate Orwin, leasing director UK at Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW), added: “Continuing our […]

Gym operator to surpass 100 sites with flurry of retail park openings

8th October 2024

Gym operator Snap Fitness is set to operate over 100 gyms across the UK and Ireland with the opening of four new gyms at retail parks in the coming weeks. In October and November, the operator will open 24/7 gyms at Treliske Retail Park in Truro, M Park Central 12 in Southport, Parc y Llyn in Aberystwyth, Wales, and Tullamore Retail Park in the Republic of Ireland. In Aberystwyth and Tullamorem, Snap Fitness has taken over units formerly occupied by Carpetright. The retail park units were selected by Snap Fitness’ in-house property team based on detailed data and insights. Due to an increased consumer demand for gym memberships, Snap Fitness has seen its new gyms in 2024 open with an average of 44% more members than gyms that opened in 2023. Paul Stephenson, franchise operations director at Snap Fitness, said: “Retail parks tick a lot of boxes for a successful Snap Fitness gym and are a key part of our future growth. “Convenience is a huge consideration factor when joining a gym and retail parks traditionally give you large units with great, natural footfall near a town or city centre, as well as free parking for members. “The fitness industry […]

Gloucester Quays Retail Park serves up padel concept for city debut

8th October 2024

The Padel Club has launched at Gloucester Quays Retail Park, bringing the fast-growing sport to an indoor venue in the city for the first time. The operator invested £1m to create the 43,577 sq ft venue, which includes nine courts with LED lighting, as well as a wellness-focused restaurant and bar. Padel is a form of tennis played in an enclosed space about a third the size of a typical court, and is the fastest growing sport in the world. The Padel Club’s launch looks to broaden the leisure offer within Gloucester, and support the evolution of the tenant mix within the retail park as well as the adjacent Gloucester Quays outlet centre. Mark Whittaker, managing director at scheme owner Peel Retail & Leisure, said: “The popularity of padel has risen exponentially, and no doubt there will be plenty of people that live in, work in, or visit Gloucester that love the sport. Operators like The Padel Club will have had lots of options in the region for opening a new venue, so we wanted to make sure this is something we could bring to the city before anyone else. Gloucester Quays Retail Park, by virtue of its location, accessibility, […]

Sosandar picks Cardiff for fourth UK store

8th October 2024

Sosandar is set to open its fourth store in the UK after signing an agreement to join St David’s in Cardiff. This comes after the women’s fashion brand opened its first stores in Chelmsford, Marlow in Buckinghamshire, and the Metrocentre in Gateshead. Sosandar – which was originally founded as an online-only store – will join a number of other fashion brands at St David’s, such as AllSaints, Mint Velvet, and Reiss. Earlier this year, it was reported that Sosandar is looking to open up to 50 stores in its first venture into bricks-and-mortar retail. Ali Hall and Julie Lavington, co-CEOs of Sosandar, said: “It’s exciting to announce our fourth store location as we continue our transition to becoming a true multi-channel retailer. Aligned with our strategy and other store locations announced to date, St David’s meets our criteria of opening stores in top tier, thriving locations where Sosandar customers over-index, being the go-to shopping destination in Cardiff.” Pablo Sueiras, head of retail brand account management at St David’s owner, Landsec said: “Our guests want to experience new and exciting brands in the best stores, and Sosandar fits this description. Increasingly we are seeing digital-first brands broaden their multichannel offer. Destinations like...

YouTube troupe subscribes for second clothing store at Bullring

7th October 2024

YouTube group The Sidemen have selected Hammerson’s Bullring & Grand Central in Birmingham for their second-ever SDMN clothing store. The 4,500 sq ft store will stock the brand’s range of unisex streetwear and merchandise products, including those from a new SDMN x Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collaboration. The Sidemen are one of the most high-profile internet personalities in Europe, having accrued over 21.6 million subscribers and 6.4 billion video views. The group opened their first clothing store last year at Bluewater in Kent. They have also ventured into the world of food and beverage, opening their Sides chicken wing concept in locations such as London, Manchester Arndale, and Merry Hill in the West Midlands. The signing underpins a wider strategy from Hammerson to diversify its occupier mix with the introduction of new and exciting concepts to complement its existing brands. Toby Tait, director of asset management at Hammerson, said: “This is an exciting moment in the repositioning of Bullring. Birmingham is Europe’s youngest city and as we continue to broaden the use and proposition of Bullring, The Sideman are just the type of personalities which will resonate with and attract a broader demographic. Over the last 18 months we have […]

Hobbs to upsize and relocate at Victoria Leeds

7th October 2024

Women’s fashion brand Hobbs is set to relocate and upsize at Redical’s Victoria Leeds, increasing its presence at the scheme by 30%. Opening the new store in December, Hobbs will relocate from Victoria Quarter to a new 4,200 sq ft flagship at Victoria Gate. The new store will enable the brand to showcase a wider range of its signature women’s clothing, shoes, accessories, and occasion-wear, in response to high demand at the centre. The relocation also enables Hobbs to sit alongside fellow TFG London brands, Phase Eight and Whistles, as well as complement a wider range of brands at the destination including The White Company, Mint Velvet, NEOM Wellbeing and Pour Moi. Rachel Bradburn, leasing director at Victoria Leeds, said: “This latest announcement further cements Victoria Leeds’ position as one of the UK’s most trusted premium and luxury retail destination. We are welcoming more visitors than ever before to Victoria Gate, which is a testament to high calibre brands reinvesting and recommitting with us, like those in the TFG London portfolio, but also to Redical’s ongoing commitment to provide an exceptional curated retail mix and customer experience.” This news follows the recent openings of British heritage and lifestyle brand, Barbour,...