Q&A: What’s new at Cribbs Mall?
One of the country’s largest shopping centres, it’s been a busy few months at The Mall at Cribbs Causeway in Bristol.
The scheme has recently welcomed new tenants, investment from existing retailers, and has played a part in the development of the wider area. Centre owner M&G Real Estate also recently extended its ownership.
Sovereign Centros by CBRE’s Iain Minto, senior director of asset management, and Katie Searle, director of asset management, spoke to Completely Retail News about what’s new at Cribbs Mall.
Iain Minto and Katie Searle
What new retailers has Cribbs Mall welcomed in recent months?
Iain Minto: “Leading international brands continue to flock to Cribbs as we welcomed both LEGO and Austen & Blake in recent months. This continued the strong leasing momentum at Cribbs following the arrivals of Castore, Sweaty Betty, Yankee Candle, and KIKO Milano in the past year.
“Meanwhile, several of our leading brands including Hugo Boss, Next, Pret, Ribble, Claire’s, Accessorize, Yo Sushi, Frankie & Benny’s, and Clarks renewed their commitment to Cribbs with new leases.
“This evolving tenant mix is proving popular with our shoppers; footfall rose by 9% and sales grew by 6% over the past 12 months, outstripping industry benchmarks.
“With more new arrivals in the wings, we are continuing to enhance our retail and F&B offering to ensure we maintain our position as one of the UK’s best performing retail destinations.“
From a retailer perspective, why choose Cribbs?
Katie Searle: “We are the nearest major shopping and leisure destination for over 6.2 million people, giving us enviable access to a comparison goods spend potential of £12.5bn.
“Cribbs boasts the second largest catchment of all UK regional malls, and the most affluent catchment outside London. In hard numbers, the yearly spend of Cribbs’ customers is 5% higher on retail purchases and 4% higher on catering than the national average.
“And we provide for this vast and affluent catchment with an exemplar customer experience, our award-winning events programme and curated partnerships with some of the best South West businesses and brands that only reinforce and celebrate our regional position and dominance.
“This might explain why, for many of our brands, Cribbs is consistently the best performing store across their UK portfolios.
“Retailers are queuing to join our exceptional line-up to benefit from that extensive shopper base, which is still growing fast. Unprecedented residential development is underway at this crossroads to the South West, creating new homes for thousands of families and professionals mere minutes’ walk from Cribbs. They are due to catapult spend potential here by almost £60m – offering a unique opportunity for operators not only to showcase their brand story to millions, but also to deliver all important sales volume.
“Brands not yet cottoning on to this risk missing the boat as limited availability across the mall, retail parks and leisure provision is snapped up.“
What recent investment have you seen from existing tenants at the scheme?
Iain Minto: “Over the past year, several of our leading names have carried out multi-million-pound investments to their stores, using Cribbs for new flagship concepts.
“M&S completed a full refit of its 103,000 sq ft store, including the introduction of a fresh market-style food hall and M&S Café, a bigger-than-ever footwear offer, and a transformed beauty department. This new and improved M&S is now attracting shoppers from not only Bristol and the South West, but across the UK, keen to sample this unique store.
“Hot on M&S’s heels, H&M selected Cribbs to roll out a new regional flagship, incorporating new innovative tech features across the store to help enhance the shopping experience. Meanwhile, Boots carried out a significant investment with a modernised beauty hall, which is now home to more than 30 new premium brands marking their world debut in Boots right here at Cribbs.
“All three were founding retailers upon our opening in 1998 and their continued investment in Cribbs highlights the confidence they have in the centre and its regional dominance.
“Meanwhile, we have also seen investment from River Island, Menkind, Seasalt, and Phase Eight who have all upsized their spaces and are already reaping the rewards.”
The new M&S store at Cribbs
What trends are you seeing from retailers and customers at Cribbs?
Katie Searle: “Many of our leading brands – like M&S, Boots, and River Island – are integrating innovative technology across their spaces such as digital fitting rooms that make it easier to find the right sizes at the touch of a button. Meanwhile, brands like John Lewis and Next have enhanced click and collect to seamlessly combine a physical retail space with an online platform offering shoppers access to their complete range.
“Cribbs has become a hub for brands to test new store concepts and product ranges to help them stay ahead of the competition. With these flagship stores at Cribbs acting as showrooms, shoppers of all ages from across the West Country, West Midlands, South West and South Wales are travelling to explore the latest styles and trends.
“Alongside wanting an experiential shopping experience, customers want a full-day out and this is why Cribbs has always placed a strong emphasis on offering a diverse leisure and F&B offering. From a state-of-the-art 12-screen Vue Cinema through to competitive socialising venues, Hollywood Bowl and Ninja Warrior, Cribbs is able to attract a diverse range of visitors throughout the year, complemented by an ever-evolving F&B line-up which keeps visitors coming back for more.”
What is in store for the shopping centre in the near future?
Iain Minto: “Since M&G Real Estate extended its ownership at Cribbs Mall and brought Sovereign Centros from CBRE on board as dedicated asset managers, we have been able to better integrate with the nearby retail and leisure parks to create a full-day-out experience for our customers.
“There are several exciting development opportunities across the wider Cribbs estate on the horizon, as we aim to create new spaces for market leading occupiers primed to tap into our affluent customer base.
“Meanwhile, we have started work on implementing a comprehensive ESG strategy which includes progressing solar panels across key assets, along with the installation of more EV charging points across Cribbs as we strengthen our position as a charging hub and stop-off destination for people travelling through the South West.”
How can Cribbs form a part of the wider redevelopment of this area of Bristol?
Katie Searle: “Cribbs is a standout destination for Bristol and the South West, and with the increased investment taking place in this development hotspot, brands are hungry for a piece of the action.
“We are working closely with the Brabazon Development, one of the UK’s largest brownfield development sites just across the road from Cribbs. The former Filton Airfield will be transformed to create 6,500 homes, 2,000 student rooms, a 19,500-capacity arena, and the creation of 30,000 jobs. This, alongside a new train station connecting the centre of Bristol to Cribbs Causeway, will create an even wider catchment area for shoppers.
“Alongside Brabazon, the expanded Bristol Zoo Wild Place is set to open, bringing another leisure attraction to the Cribbs Causeway area complementing the existing offer which includes The Wave, Planet Ice, and Ninja Warrior. We work closely with these attractions who help to draw in visitors from across the South West and beyond.”
The Mall at Cribbs Causeway