Category: News

Easy Coffee and 9Round are the latest two additions to Patrizia’s Walnuts Shopping Centre in Orpington which continues to go from strength to strength following £8 million of investment over the past three years.

9Round have taken Unit 73 totalling 950 sq ft and Easy Coffee have taken prominent corner Unit 69 totalling 1,150 sq ft within the re-modelled open courtyard Leisure Quarter at the Centre which is also home to a seven screen Odeon cinema, Premier Inn, Nandos, Bella Italia, Pure Gym, Creams and independent steak house Cow & Pig.

The Leisure Quarter opened in late 2016 and has been a huge success with Odeon reporting over 350,000 admissions per annum. The immediate vicinity now experiences all day and evening trade which has been boosted this year by the refurbishment and repositioning of the Market Square. Bucking the national trend, footfall, dwell time and consumer spend have all been increasing year on year.

Both of the main entrances onto High Street plus the 520 space multi-storey car park have benefitted from significant investment over the past 12 months with the aesthetics enhanced. The most recent project, costing over £350,000, has been the creation of new public amenities within the covered section of The Walnuts providing much needed facilities for the local shoppers.

The centre has also welcomed a host of other retail occupiers in the last 12 months including Yours Clothing, Trespass, Cards Direct, Julian Charles and Kitchenhaus with Easy Coffee planning to open a mall coffee operation within the covered section of the centre with a dedicated Kid Zone. These occupiers complement and strengthen the existing tenant mix which includes Wilko, Peacocks, The Entertainer, New Look and Argos, all of whom cater for the needs of the local shopper.

Only a few leasing opportunities remain for retail and catering occupiers to obtain representation within this improving environment.

Andrew Shepherd, Director at AS Retail one of the letting agents at The Walnuts commented ‘We’re delighted to welcome both Easy Coffee and 9Round to The Walnuts. They add to the vibrant tenant mix that has been created which coupled with the wider placemaking initiatives has consolidated The Walnuts as the prime retail and leisure location in the town. The Centre has become an important part of the community, being a place of which the local population can be proud of and want to spend time within.’

AS Retail and KLM Retail are the leasing agents on behalf Patrizia.

AS Retail are delighted to have been appointed by Muffin Break to advise on their expansion across the UK, focussing south of Nottingham.

Established 1989 in Queensland, Australia, Muffin Break operate from over 300 stores worldwide offering not only a variety of delicious coffee, muffins and cakes, but also freshly made sandwiches, wraps, quiches and much more.

After successfully opening 61 sites within the UK, we are now seeking 1,400-1,800 sq ft in Shopping Centres, food courts or inline units with high footfall and a possibility for outside seating are sought.

Please contact Rob or Claudio at AS Retail for a copy of the requirement brochure or to discuss any sites that might be suitable.

We are delighted to welcome Will Stone to the team at AS Retail, who joins us after completing his Masters degree in Real Estate at Sheffield Hallam University. Working alongside Andrew Shepherd, he will be working on the acquisition programmes of several occupational clients such as CycleBar, Cards Direct, Quiznos and BoConcept as well as assisting on the leasing of various shop units.

AS Retail are delighted to have been appointed by Quiznos UK to advise on their expansion within London & The South East.

Quiznos operate from over 1,000 stores in 30 countries being one of the global leaders in toasted subs plus offering a wider menu including salads, wraps, soups, coffee and cakes.

After successful openings at The Glades in Bromley, The Mall in Luton and The Treaty Centre in Hounslow, we are now seeking 300 – 1,000 sq ft in major Shopping Centres. Food Courts or inline units in busy, but quirky locations are sought and regional Malls nationwide will be considered.

Please contact Andrew Shepherd or Will Stone at AS Retail for a copy of the requirement brochure or to discuss any sites that might be suitable.

Congratulations to our retained clients Cards Direct who have opened their 25^th store at The Lewisham Centre in South London.

Andrew Shepherd, Director at AS Retail, leased their first unit to them in 2012 at The Spires in Barnet and has advised them on every new store since. Starting cautiously with sites in Harlow, Luton and Chatham in 2013 and 2014, the expansion programme has accelerated with between six and eight selected sites opening each year.

The Lewisham opening comes shortly after the launch of the new store in Southend-on-Sea and will be followed by another three or four locations before Christmas with the roll-out continuing into 2019 and beyond.

Please contact Andrew to discuss the ongoing requirement.

AS Retail are delighted to have been appointed by District Coffee to advise on their expansion within London.

Established in Parsons Green, District Coffee have been building a steadily growing customer base with their coffee, baked goods, and friendly atmosphere. With two shops open and trading, we are looking for more excellent locations in London.

We are seeking 150 – 1,500 sq ft with high footfall in west London and ideally in close proximity to a tube station

Please contact Rob Jones or Claudio Palmiero at AS Retail for a copy of the requirement brochure or to discuss any sites that might be suitable.

We are pleased to have been instructed to offer three new kiosks that are to be developed in the heart of the Lower Precinct, Coventry, below Caffe Nero.

The Lower Precinct Shopping Centre benefits from a high footfall and is home to national retailers such as H&M, Next, Pandora, TJ Hughes and The Entertainer.

Each kiosk will comprise approximately 250 sq ft and will be available in Summer/Autumn 2019 at a quoting rent of £20,000 pax per unit.

Please contact Andrew or Claudio for more details and to register your requirements.

AS Retail are pleased to receive instructions to let 24 Cornmarket in Derby on behalf of M&M Fund.

This prominent property which occupies a fantastic position on the corner of Cornmarket and Albert Street also has planning consent for Class A3 Use, making an excellent proposition for a restaurant or coffee shop. Cornmarket is one of the prime retail locations in Derby, linking Derby’s busiest shopping street St Peter’s Street along with Intu Derby, with the Cathedral Quarter.

Please get in touch with either Rob Jones or Claudio Palmiero for full info.

We are delighted to have been instructed to offer Unit 6, Peter House on Oxford Street in Manchester, to the market on a new lease basis. The unit is located in close proximity to the Manchester Central conference centre, the famous Midland Hotel and opposite St Peter’s Square.

It comprises approximately 960 sq ft and is available from October 2018 at a quoting rent of £59,500 pax.

Please contact Andrew or Rob for further information and to register your requirements.

An opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic, energetic and ambitious real estate graduate to join our expanding agency team.

Our new Graduate Training Programme, open to final year students who have studied for a RICS accredited degree or master’s degree, will provide you with a first-class platform from which to launch your surveying career.

If you are interested in working in a fun, forward thinking and growing business then please get in touch.