Four new brands sign for Bristol’s Cabot Circus

Four new brands have agreed to take space at Cabot Circus, as scheme owner Hammerson looks to invest into and reposition the Bristol-based centre.

Womenswear brand Stradivarius has agreed to open in a prime unit on Concorde Street, bolstering the scheme’s fashion offering which includes the likes of Inditex-owned brands Zara, Pull&Bear, and Bershka.

In a portfolio-first for Hammerson, athleisure headwear brand Lids is also set to open at the scheme, after agreeing to take a 600 sq ft store. The brand will look to tap into Bristol’s young demographic with an offer including NBA, NFL, and MLB-branded baseball caps.

Arabian-inspired British perfume brand Sunnamusk will also be opening at Cabot Circus as it continues to expand through Europe. The brand has previously opened at a number of Hammerson-owned destinations.

Finally, fast-growing kebab brand German Doner Kebab will also take space at Cabot Circus, diversifying the scheme’s food and beverage offer.

The signings come as Hammerson looks to reposition its city centre assets, through the targeting of popular brands and the introduction of entertainment and social offers to engage and excite audiences.

At Cabot Circus, this has included:

• The repurposing of underutilised car park space to create a pop-up skatepark, which attracted over 2,000 people in just 7 days.
• The transformation of a former restaurant into a new cultural space to host a one-off gig – called Best of Bristol – which raised £20k for charity.
• The introduction of new art and culture pieces, including a collaboration with animation studio Aardman, the creators of Wallace and Gromit, to create a new mural celebrating Bristol’s heritage.
• The introduction of Charity Super.Mkt to Bristol, the UK’s first ever multi-charity retail store. Originally a six-week pop-up, the store extended its run twice due to strong demand, and has raised over £275k for charity since opening in July. 

Toby Tait, director of asset management at Hammerson, said: “These new signings further demonstrate the success of our strategic focus to reposition Cabot Circus. Expanding our occupier mix, bringing in new, exciting brands alongside introducing social and entertainment partners.” 

Shelley Taylor, asset manager added: “Being a Bristolian through and through I have grown up with Cabot Circus. I am excited to be part of its transformation which has seen us really amplify the art and culture of Bristol. Highlights for me have been working with Aardman to create the incredible mural and welcoming the Canvas and Red Bull Skate Park over the half term. Both offering fellow Bristolians something new and different in the heart of the city!”