ProCook makes West Midlands debut at Touchwood
Kitchenware retailer ProCook is set to make its debut in the West Midlands after agreeing a deal to open at Touchwood shopping centre in Solihull.
The brand has signed a 10-year lease for a 4,510 sq ft unit within the scheme’s Crescent Arcade area, and will offer a range of cookware, knives, utensils, tableware, and small appliances.
The letting sees Touchwood – which is home to brands including Oliver Bonas, Mango, Miele, Rituals, Tag Heuer, Apple, Zara and John Lewis – now 99% let.
Since its acquisition of Touchwood in 2021, owner The Ardent Companies and asset manager Sovereign Centros from CBRE have looked to implement a strategy focused on diversifying the destination’s tenant mix. In addition to a raft of new retail brands, competitive socialising options such as Spinners and an increased dining offer have expanded the scheme’s visitor base.
In the past year, over 40,000 sq ft of new lettings have been made at Touchwood, while full-year footfall in 2023 was 2.8% higher than the previous year and trading figures were on par with pre-pandemic performance.
Andrew Hilston, managing director at The Ardent Companies, said: “The arrival of ProCook at Touchwood is emblematic of the strategy we have implemented at the scheme, brining new brands and operators to the destination that both complement the existing offer and provide something different to visitors. The success of the approach – drawing in more visitors to a centre that is at near full capacity – underlines Touchwood’s position as one of the leading retail assets in the UK today.”
Simon Phipps, senior director at Sovereign Centros from CBRE, added: “ProCook is a perfect compliment to the retailer line-up, and serves to expand the range of options that Touchwood now offers. The excellent quality of retail brands, a wide mix of dining options and a growing leisure line-up now gives its valued customers even more reasons to visit.”
Cushman & Wakefield and Knight Frank are the retained leasing agents at Touchwood.