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Acting on behalf of Cards Direct, AS Retail are pleased to announce the opening of their new store located in the old Bon Marché unit in County Square Shopping Centre.  Totalling 2,820 sq ft at ground floor plus storage this store is the largest in the estate which is important during these socially distanced time. The unit is situated close to the main entrance of the scheme adjacent to The Fragrance Shop and F Hinds, opposite Pandora and Three.

Established in 2012 Cards Direct are now successfully trading across the Midlands and South of England with 35 stores.  They are represented in locations such as Ipswich, Canterbury, Basingstoke, Worthing, Harrow, Poole and Southampton amongst others.

Director of AS Retail, Andrew Shepherd said “We offer our congratulations to Cards Direct for opening their first store post-lockdown and wish them luck in the forthcoming Xmas trading”

Cards Direct are still actively looking for new stores, prime or good secondary, in Shopping Centres or High Streets for openings in 2021.  If you have anything you feel might be of interest please contact Andrew Shepherd or Ellie Oldershaw with the details.

 

AS Retail have been instructed to assist award winning Latin American dining chain Rico Sabor with the acquisition of their next restaurant.

Rico Sabor opened their stunning flagship Rochester restaurant in 2019 following the success of their first venue in Gravesend. Both are warm and welcoming places, bringing the best fusion of the most loved dishes from Spain and Latin America including a tasty selection of Tapas and Paellas. It’s delicious!

We are seeking a site which meets the following criteria:

Affluent & Attractive area
London / Essex / Kent / Sussex
2,000 – 3,500 sq ft
Outside seating of benefit
Former restaurants with extraction of interest

Andrew Shepherd, Director at AS Retail commented “We leased Rico Sabor their wonderful restaurant in Rochester and are delighted to be instructed to assist them with their expansion plans. The food and ambience is terrific with the venue proving to be highly popular, indeed probably the busiest place in town. Rico Sabor will be a super addition to any town’s dining offer and we look forward to working with them in securing their next restaurant.”

Please contact Andrew Shepherd or Ellie Oldershaw to discuss any opportunities that might suit.

 

AS Retail are actively seeking new showrooms for Danish premium retail lifestyle brand BoConcept.

BoConcept are one of the globe’s most recognisable lifestyle and furniture retailers with showrooms in over 60 countries worldwide and 16 in the UK.

We are specifically seeking further UK stores in York, Leeds (pop-up), Cambridge and Exeter (other locations considered) meeting the following criteria:

Size: 3,500 – 4,000 sq ft, preferably over one trading level.

Internal Width: minimum 30ft, optimum 40 sq ft

Pitch: Just off prime, good secondary, out of town/roadside.

Spec: Fitted or landlord willing to enhance the spec to a ‘grey box’.

Please visit their website https://www.boconcept.com/en-gb for more information.

Andrew Shepherd, Director at AS Retail commented “We have been working with BoConcept for five years and have acquired a number of their recent openings including Edinburgh, Bristol, Chichester and Canterbury with a further flagship showroom in solicitors hands. We are excited to be assisting the brand in their expansion into further markets and look forward to receiving information on suitable properties shortly.”

Please contact Andrew Shepherd or Ellie Oldershaw with details of any opportunities.

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.