Author: [email protected]

Following immediately in the wake of the recent Jetts Fitness launch, Pirates Landing Soft Play have now opened their amazing new 6,600 sq ft children’s play arena at Brightwells Yard.

This exciting regional brand is another excellent addition to the tenant mix at Brightwells. Pirates Landing are already established in Camberley and Wokingham; catering for children up to the age of 12 years with their frames, slides, tunnels and ball pool; they host organised birthday parties and have an on-site café.

Andrew Shepherd director at AS Retail who leased the space on behalf of the Landlord commented “We are pleased to welcome Pirates Landing to Brightwells Yard. They are another fantastic opening adding to the 6-screen Reel cinema, Jetts Fitness, Pilates Movement Studio & Charters. Monte Forte Pizzeria and Nandos will be opening this month as we build occupation at this quality development.”

We still have a number of spaces available from 800-8,000 sq ft for retail, catering and service sector available to let for immediate occupation.  Please contact Kathryn or Andrew to discuss your requirements.

Photographs taken from the Pirates Landing website.

Brilliant news as Jetts Fitness have opened their latest club at Brightwells Yard in Farnham.

PC was achieved a few weeks ago with Brightwells Yard comprising c. 100,000 sq ft of commercial space plus a 6-screen Reel cinema all set around a new town square and gardens sitting alongside 250 apartments and 400 car parking spaces. Jetts joins Reel cinema, Pilates Movement Studio and Charters all of whom have already opened with Pirates Landing Soft Play, Nandos and Monte Forte opening soon.

Jetts have taken a two level, 9,000 sq ft space which looks incredible and houses the best world class equipment, large functional and strength training areas with the usual J-Series classes.

Andrew Shepherd, Director at AS Retail who are the leasing agents at Brightwells commented “We are delighted to see more openings at Brightwells and wish our friends at Jetts every success with this club which looks amazing and is a great addition to our tenant mix. We have a number of other deals progressing at Brightwells but have various spaces ranging from 900 – 8,000 sq ft that would be ideal for retail, catering or leisure brands. We are open to independent and regional brands as well as national occupiers so please get in touch to discuss your requirements.”

Please contact Andrew Shepherd or Kathryn Evans to discuss Brightwells in more detail.

Our clients Cancer Research UK have continued their Superstore roll out with their largest store in Scotland.

Superstore Number 44 is a fantastic 10,000 sq ft space at Glasgow’s new Crown Street Retail Park; we were onsite for the opening which included a VIP ribbon cutter and a traditional Piper.

This recently completed retail park is situated 1.5 miles from the city centre with CRUK joining Aldi, B&M, Poundland, Food Warehouse, JD Gyms, Costa Coffee and Card Factory to name a few.

Selling the usual range of fashion, toys, books and games, all of their new Superstores are also able to sell a wider range including furniture and electricals as well as an extensive range of brand new ‘bought in’ goods.

Andrew Shepherd, Director at AS Retail who conducted the negotiations on behalf of CRUK commented “We are delighted to have secured this site for our clients. Congratulations to the team on getting this fantastic looking store fitted and open. We have further superstore openings in Scotland planned over the coming months but are keen for more opportunities.”

Alasdair Coates and Mark Dawson at Coates & Co acted for the landlord – thank you for your assistance here getting the deal over the line.

We are still actively looking in Scotland and Northern Ireland for CRUK superstores on busy Retail Parks, preferably 5,000 – 10,000 sq ft with a good mix of fashion, grocery and value retailers sitting alongside us. Market rents are paid. Our joint agent David Honeyman is running the search in England and Wales.

If you have anything you feel suitable, please get in touch with Andrew Shepherd or Georgina Massey at AS Retail.

We are delighted to announce that Brightwells Yard in Farnham has now been handed over by the developer.

This superbly designed, quality 35-unit, mixed-use open-air scheme has now reached Practical Completion and the first half dozen occupiers are now fitting out. The scheme benefits from new gardens, a new town square, 245 apartments, a 6-screen Reel cinema and 400 car parking spaces all to complement the 100,000 sq ft of commercial space.

Nando’s and regional pizzeria Monte Forte are fitting out in the restaurant block close to the cinema. Pirates Landing Soft Play are fitting out c 6,000 sq ft on Town Square with Jetts Gym well on the way to opening their new 9,000 sq ft 24/7 gym fronting Brightwells Gardens. Charters Estate Agents and Pilates Movement Studio are also fitting out spaces fronting Town Square.

We have a number of other lettings progressing but have spaces from 800 sq ft to 8,000 sq ft for retail, catering, leisure, service sector available to let for immediate occupation.

Please contact the team at AS Retail to discuss your requirements.

Soul Chill, a popular Taiwanese food and drink chain, opened its first store in the UK on Princess Way, The Square Shopping Centre in Camberley last week.

Serving Taiwanese fruit teas, pearl milk teas and snacks this exciting new concept will be fantastic addition to the tenant mix within the centre.  In 2022 Soul Chill won the “Popularity Award” at the 2022 Taiwan Milk Tea Festival and the 2022/2023 Belgian ITQI International Taste Award and received the highest Three Star Award.

Kathryn Evans, surveyor at AS Retail commented “We are really pleased to see Soul Chill opening in Camberley and bringing a new vibrant offering to the centre that we are sure will be a great success. The brand has already achieved many accolades globally and has an exciting future ahead of them.”

We have leasing and asset management opportunities at The Square so please contact Kathryn Evans at AS Retail for more information.

We are very excited to announce that there have been two new openings for Cards Direct last week, one in Mansfield and one in Telford.

We acquired the double fronted 1,900 sq ft former Clintons unit at the Four Seasons Shopping Centre in Mansfield and the 1,500 sq ft former Scotts unit Telford Shopping Centre. Both units sit in prime positions and have been fitted out to an excellent standard as always.

Andrew Shepherd, Director at AS Retail who conducted the negotiations on behalf of Cards Direct commented “Both Telford and Mansfield are busy towns which have been of interest to us for some time and we’re delighted to have secured these excellent stores for Cards Direct. We’re currently fitting out two which will open next week and have others scheduled for Autumn openings – but we need more for 2025!”

We continue to search for our clients and, if you have anything you feel is suitable, please send it through to Andrew Shepherd at AS Retail.

Barker Proudlove acted for the landlord in Mansfield and Wright Silverwood advised the landlord in Telford.

Ollie joined AS Retail in July 2024 after graduating from Northumbria University with a 2:1 in Real Estate. Whilst on his placement year and, throughout his final year of study, Ollie worked for the Northumberland Estates in the commercial property team where he had an integral involvement the asset management of a diversified property portfolio which included retail/roadside, office, industrial and leisure properties.

Ollie will be working in the agency team across our portfolio of shopping centre and high street instructions nationwide including The Square Camberley, Magna Square Egham and Addlestone One. He will also be working with our occupier clients on their site acquisition programmes and assisting across our workbook of lease advisory matters as well as high street disposals.

In his spare time Ollie enjoys socialising with friends and a variety of sports such as Rugby, Golf, Football and Skiing.

We are very excited to announce that contracts have been exchanged with Flip Out to acquire the whole of the former TJ Hughes at Lower Precinct Shopping Centre in Coventry.

The space is situated within Lower Precinct Shopping Centre close to the new Ryman store, New Look, H&M, River Island and the recently sub-divided former Next space which has been leased to Sostrene Grene, Cards Direct, The Works and The Fragrance Shop.

The premises are arranged over three floors and totals circa 43,000 sq ft with entrances on lower mall into the scheme, to the rear onto buzzing Corporation Street and upper mall level.

Flip Out intend to use the top two floors for the core Flip Out concept, which will appeal to children and families, with the lower mall being occupied by Putt Putt Noodle, their Asian themed mini-golf concept.

Flip Out are a leader in family entertainment with over 30 centres operating in the UK, and more in the pipeline. Fit out will commence shortly with an Autumn opening planned.

Andrew Shepherd, Director at AS Retail who conducted the negotiations on behalf of the landlord commented “We are thrilled to signed Flip Out to occupy this important and prominent anchor space at Lower Precinct. We considered a number of different options and operators for this space but feel that Flip Out and Putt Putt Noodle will greatly complement our existing tenant line-up at the centre and really add something special into the city centre leisure offering. Well done and a big thanks to everyone involved in the complex negotiations. We can’t wait for the opening in the Autumn and wish the team luck with their fit out and trading.”

Lower Precinct Shopping Centre will be fully let once the last remaining unit completes this month but we potentially have asset management opportunities for occupiers to join the mix. Please contact Andrew Shepherd to discuss these further.

May & Company acted for Flip Out in the lease negotiation.

Congratulations to our Kathryn Evans who has successfully passed her APC and is now officially a Chartered Surveyor. Well deserved Kathryn!

We are very pleased to announce that Cards Direct have opened another new store, their 4^th already this year, on Cheltenham High Street.

Cards Direct have moved into the former Entertainer at 99 High Street, which is one of the largest stores they have acquired so far, sitting in close proximity to The Works, Shoe Zone and Superdrug. Other stores have opened this year in Maidenhead, Sheffield and Chesterfield with a further store scheduled to open this weekend and two further deals exchanged.

Being vertically integrated allows Cards Direct to control the quality and pricing of the product range, offering a diverse selection of really great lines, at affordable prices.

Andrew Shepherd, Director at AS Retail who conducted the negotiations on behalf of Cards Direct commented “We are thrilled to have acquired this store on behalf of our clients, coming hot on the heels of the recent opening in Gloucester. Cards Direct are going from strength to strength and we have more stores in the pipeline for opening this year.”

We continue to search for our clients and if you have anything you feel is suitable, please send it through to Andrew Shepherd.

Thank you to Savills who advised the landlord.