Author: [email protected]

AS Retail are delighted to have been appointed as joint letting agent with Bruce Gillingham Pollard in the leasing of the stunning Tunsgate Quarter in Guildford.

The extensive redevelopment of the Tunsgate Quarter was completed in 2018 and provides the premium shopping and leisure destination for Guildford. Retail brands represented include Nespresso, The White Company, Seasalt, Penhaligons, Bobbi Brown, OKA and Loaf with the dining offer being led by The Ivy, Cosy Club and Pho.

We are also pleased to announce that Gails will be joining the line up shortly.

We have a number of exciting opportunities for high quality and destination brands to join the line-up with stores ranging in size from 600 sq ft to up to 5,000 sq ft. We have a prime High Street facing unit with large return frontage into the mall, a hugely prominent unit on Tunsgate where the first floor space provides views over Guildford Castle and which would be ideal for a restaurant or retail showroom as well as internal units, two of which are fitted and ready for immediate occupation.

Please feel free to contact Andrew, Charmi or Ellie at AS Retail or our joint agents BGP to discuss availability at the Tunsgate Quarter.

AS Retail are excited to announce that our clients Jetts Fitness have signed for their 10^th UK studio and 3^rd in London.

Jetts have acquired a lease for a brand new studio in South West London, which will complement the existing sites in Clapham and Colliers Wood, with fit out commencing shortly and opening scheduled for late autumn. The studio will sit on Brixton Hill close to the Tulse Hill area and will provide approx. 5,200 sq ft as built over a single level. There are plans to extend the property to increase the floor space to over 6,000 sq ft shortly.

AS Retail are aggressively looking for suitable space for Jetts with a number of club owners financed and ready to take new sites this year of between 5,000 – 8,000 sq ft, ideally over a single level but two levels can be considered.

The recent change in planning policy greatly assists in our roll out as a change of use will not be required to convert properties from shops, restaurants or offices to our Gym use.

Please contact Andrew Shepherd or Ellie Oldershaw if you have anything you feel might be suitable.

 

 

 

AS Retail are delighted to announce the appointment of Ellie Oldershaw as Associate Director having served as a consultant for the past five years.

Ellie has extensive experience in the lease advisory sector working with numerous landlord and occupier clients in shaping their portfolios, offering strategic advice and assisting with their lease events. She has been instrumental in securing substantial savings for a number of our occupier clients during the last six months by agreeing various forms of ‘Covid-deal’ and is working with a number of clients in looking to restructure leases in order to find win-win situations and create sustainable lease terms going forward.

In her new role she will be charged with growing the important lease advisory function which we believe helps the AS Retail team deliver joined up advice to our clients, whether they be Institutional investors, private landlords or occupiers – big and small. Ellie will also be working on various agency projects including acquiring new sites for a host of our active occupiers such as Jetts Fitness, Gong Cha and Cards Direct to name but a few, where her knowledge of lease terms and tenacity will be a crucial factor in the aggressive roll out programmes they have planned.

Andrew Shepherd, Director at AS Retail commented ‘Ellie has been a vital part of our set-up for five years giving our clients expert and honest advice throughout; we are delighted that she will be taking a more senior role within the business as we grow, despite the uncertain times we are all currently facing.’

 

Gong Cha was founded in Taiwan in 2006 and is today one of the most recognised bubble tea brands in the world.

AS Retail has been retained by Gong Cha to assist with their UK expansion and, with approximately 1,500 stores already worldwide and two stores now open in Manchester, looking to increase their portfolio for space in London, Greater London and England, with particular interest in University cities.

They are looking for space between 300 and 1,200 sq ft with A1 use and in prime, high street, shopping centres, transport hubs and office areas.

If you have any properties you feel might be suitable please contact Andrew Shepherd or Ellie Oldershaw and,  for further information on Gong Cha, please click on their website link here: https://www.gong-cha.com/en

 

Acting on behalf of Patrizia, AS Retail are acting jointly with Colliers International in the re-purposing of the House of Fraser store on High Street in Lincoln.

The store sits on the northern end of High Street and totals approx. 70,000 sq ft in it’s existing configuration but planning permission has now been received to demolish the building to create a new 150 room 4* hotel for Radisson along with a restaurant, leisure and courtyard space along with 8,000 sq ft of Ground Floor commercial space which AS Retail and Colliers are instructed to lease.

More information on the project can be found here:  https://thelincolnite.co.uk/2020/05/plans-to-turn-tired-house-of-fraser-into-hotel-approved

Andrew Shepherd who is leading on the instruction commented ‘This exciting project will reinvigorate Lincoln High Street and is a super example of the re-purposing of obsolete retail buildings that is required in many of our town and city centres. The building design is exceptional and the commercial space fronting High Street will comprise optimum footprints with flexibility in the ultimate size of units so we can cater to occupier requirements.’

Please contact us to discuss your requirements for the commercial space in Lincoln or to chat through any similar situations where we may be able to assist.

 

AS Retail are delighted to announce that our clients Traid have opened their 12^th showroom, located in the heart of Lewisham, London.

The store was formally occupied by Poundland and sits directly opposite the main entrance to The Lewisham Centre on the corner of Lewis Grove. Totalling approximately 4,000 sq ft over Ground Floor the store was acquired on a 15 year lease. The fit out had been completed just before lockdown started and we’re pleased to see it now open and trading.

Traid are an award winning charity showcasing pre-loved, vintage and designer clothing with fantastic stores dotted around Greater London including Camden, Clapham, Dalston, Westbourne Grove, Brixton and Peckham.

Andrew Shepherd, Director at AS Retail who conducted the negotiations on behalf of Traid commented ‘we are ecstatic to have secured this superb property on behalf of our clients Traid which satisfies a long-standing requirement for our clients in Lewisham.’

AS Retail are retained by Traid to secure further properties and we are actively seeking sites with a trading space of between 2,000 – 3,000 sq ft in Greater London with a specific interest in locations such as Walworth Road and Walthamstow.

AS Retail are excited to announce the opening of the new Cards Direct store in Enfield. Situated in Palace Exchange, adjacent to JD and Clarks, being the former Paperchase, the fit out was completed just before lockdown and the store has now fully opened for trade.

Totalling approx. 1,900 sq ft Ground Floor sales plus storage this will be their 34th shop and satisfies a long term requirement for Enfield.

Cards Direct are still actively looking for new stores in Greater London, South East England and the Midlands for 2020 and 2021 opening. Please contact Andrew Shepherd or Ellie Oldershaw at AS Retail to discuss any opportunities.

Sadly this year, due to obvious reasons, AS Retail are unable to host the Shop Agents Society (SAS) 1^st Friday Drinks which would have been held on Friday 3^rd July.

Instead we will be donating our First Friday beer fund to the chosen SAS charity partner, The Brain Tumour Charity.

They are the world’s leading brain tumour charity and the largest dedicated funder of research into brain tumours worldwide. The Brain Tumour Charity has helped SAS members and their families in the recent past and undertake outstanding work in the field, being voted Charity of the Year in 2018 for their pioneering approach, innovative research solutions and their community centred approach to all they do. They are set on finding new treatments, offering the highest level of support and driving urgent change whilst also being committed to improving life for everyone affected and to defending this most incredible part of the human body.

Please do visit their website at https://www.thebraintumourcharity.org/ for more information on their activities and please follow this link – https://www.thebraintumourcharity.org/donate/ – if you also wish to make a donation.

Please stay safe and well and we hope to meet up with you all again very soon.

AS Retail have advised exciting new immersive gaming concept Electric Playbox, originally known as Electronic Theatre, on the acquisition of their second site in Manchester.

Located within Halle Place at Manchester Arndale, Electric Playbox have taken the unit next to the highly successful independent restaurant Archies with the unit comprising circa 3,200 sq ft.

The property is currently being fitted out in readiness for opening at the beginning of August and it promises to bring a new social entertainment experience to Manchester which can be enjoyed by friends, colleagues and families alike.

This is Electric Playbox’s second site, the first being in London’s Southbank close to Southwark station which opened in late 2019 and was also acquired by AS Retail. It has proved highly popular with the initial two experiences of Alien Aptitude Test and Rescue the Royals being great fun. Other regional sites planned over the coming months.

Andrew Shepherd, Director at AS Retail who conducted the negotiations commented ‘It’s been a pleasure to work with Electric Playbox on introducing their concept into the market and are delighted to have secured this excellent site for them. The neighbouring restaurants in Halle Place will be highly complimentary and we very much look forward to seeing it opening soon. The AS Retail team had their Christmas party at the London venue last year and we had a great time – get yourselves booked in Manchester!’

 

We are delighted to confirm that Pets Corner, the well regarded pet supply chain with nearly 150 outlets nationwide, have signed for a new 15 year lease at 111 High Street, Staines Upon Thames. AS Retail conducted the lease renewal negotiations on behalf of the landlord, a private investor / developer, who has recently completed a residential conversion of the upper floors.

Andrew Shepherd, Director at AS Retail, commented ‘This negotiation has taken some time to conclude but we are pleased with the outcome, particularly during these unprecedented times, as the landlord has secured this quality tenant on a long lease which will underpin the investment value of the property.’

AS Retail are actively negotiating rent reviews, lease renewals and lease restructures on behalf of both landlord and occupier clients on properties nationwide. Please do not hesitate to contact either Andrew or Ellie to discuss any situations where our advice could be helpful for you.