Category: News

AS Retail are delighted to have advised on two store acquisitions for BoConcept, the Danish contemporary furniture and homeware retailer, in Canterbury and Chichester.

In Canterbury BoConcept have taken a lease at 4-6 Orange Street, the former renowned Merchant Chandler site close Canterbury Cathedral. The property comprises a Ground Floor sales of 3,907 sq ft plus mezzanine. A long-term lease has been signed.

In Chichester the brand has taken a long lease on ground and first floors of Granada House, on Baffins Lane from Seaward Properties. The property sits behind Next, close to prime East Street, providing approx. 4,268 sq ft over the two levels with a new sales stair case being installed.

The grand openings will take place later this summer once the full fits are complete.

Andrew Shepherd at AS Retail who advised the on the acquisitions commented:

‘I am delighted to have secured these properties for BoConcept which follow on from the acquisition of the new Edinburgh store last year. The proposed fit outs will be stunning and will complement the character of both buildings. We currently have a number of other live requirements in major markets nationwide and please do not hesitate to contact me to discuss any suitable sites of between 3,500 – 6,000 sq ft’

https://www.boconcept.com/en-gb/

AS Retail have acted for Cards Direct’s in the acquisition of their Redhill store. This is the 4th new store this year, following openings in Northampton, Colchester and Haywards Heath taking their portfolio to 19.

The store is open and trading in The Belfry Centre, Redhill located opposite the brand-new H&M.

Cards Direct have plans for several more stores in 2017, with the roll out continuing in 2018.

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

Tel: 020 7287 2155 or via email [email protected].

On behalf of a private property company client, AS Retail have let 23 Gabriel’s Hill to Esquires Coffee.

The Property comprises 1,832 sq ft ground floor sales, plus 823 sq ft of first floor ancillary accommodation.

The store sits in a prominent location next to the renowned footwear retailer The Golden Boot, close to The Mall.

Esquires Coffee has signed a long lease, undertaken a comprehensive fit out and opened for trade on 22nd June. They specialise in Fairtrade and organic coffee, brunch, lunch and afternoon tea.

Andrew Shepherd commented;

‘We are delighted to have secured Esquires for this prominent property, after an extended period of vacancy. The fit out looks excellent and has transformed the property from an eyesore to a place where the people of Maidstone will want to spend time’

AS Retail, the niche retail property advisory company, have been appointed to advise on the leasing at Lloyds Court in Central Milton Keynes which will provide a number of exceptional retail units.

Lloyds Court, located opposite The Centre:MK, is situated on the prominent corner of Secklow Gate and Silbury Boulevard. Totalling over 100,000 sq ft of accommodation, the building is scheduled to be refurbished for modern retail, catering or leisure use which will be suitable for two floors of trading.

The first floor offers fantastic window frontages and AS Retail are appointed to lease the units specifically on the primary Secklow Gate and Silbury Boulevard frontages. North Tenth Street, which caters predominantly for local and regional retailers, is to be rebranded as Lloyds Court Village where premises are principally marketed by Patrick Punch & Company.

There is a significant degree of flexibility in the floor plates available, with units varying in size from 1,000 – 30,000 sq ft. Rents are priced competitively, offering a significant discount to The Centre:MK and the town’s retail parks. Car parking is available immediately in-front of the property and units can be made available within a short time frame of terms being agreed.

Rob Jones, Director at AS Retail, commented: “We are delighted to be instructed on this exciting project in central Milton Keynes. It’s a great opportunity to be able to offer modern, well configured units within the town centre, without the restrictive occupational costs seen elsewhere in the vicinity. The visibility onto Secklow Gate and Silbury Boulevard really is impressive, and we believe this will prove a real attraction to a number of multiples.”

For further details on Milton Keynes, Lloyds Court click here.
Contact Rob Jones at AS Retail on 020 7287 2155, or [email protected] to discuss you requirements or request further information.

AS Retail are delighted to have been appointed by CycleBar to advise on their entry into the UK. CycleBar are the world leader in indoor cycling studios with over 70 locations in the US trading and a further 200 more in the pipeline.

The initial focus is to secure studios in Oxford, Cambridge or other South East commuter towns with all affluent Greater and Central London sites also considered. This will be followed by a wider UK roll out in 2018 and 2019.

Specifically we are seeking 2,800 – 3,200 sq ft ideally at Ground Floor with a minimum floor to ceiling height of 4.25m (14ft) to accommodate the unique amphitheatre studio. The sites will preferably be edge of town centre / roadside / retail park in affluent areas close to parking and complementary occupiers such as Waitrose or M&S Foodhall. Leasehold sites are preferred but freeholds will be considered.

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

Tel: 020 7287 2155 or via email [email protected].

Cards Direct, advised by AS Retail, have acquired a further three new stores in the last month following a successful expansion drive that has brought the store portfolio to 18.

The greetings card retailer has opened new premises on Culver Street West in Colchester and within The Grosvenor Centre, Northampton. They are also in the process of fitting out their latest store in Haywards Heath which is scheduled to open in time for Easter. The recent acquisitions follow a series of high street and shopping centre openings for Cards Direct over the past 12 months which include Basingstoke, Canterbury, Southampton, Folkestone and Feltham.

Andrew Shepherd, Director at AS Retail commented: “These latest properties are superb additions to the portfolio and I am confident will prove to be excellent trading stores. We have a number of live negotiations but still plenty of capacity for further openings in 2017 with the roll-out planned to continue into 2018. We will be attending Completely Retail Marketplace at the end of April and would welcome a discussion with landlords and agents on opportunities. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me for the latest requirements list.”

On behalf of a Kent based family trust, AS Retail are delighted to have advised on the investment acquisition of 129/131 Terminus Road, Eastbourne for a price in excess of £2.0m.

The property sits in an excellent location by the entrance to The Arndale Centre, comprising two prime retail units with ancillary accommodation. They are let to Laura Ashley and Shoe Zone on permanent leases with a rent roll of £140,000 per annum exclusive and the investment was acquired at an initial yield of just over 6%.

Laura Ashley are a quintessentially British lifestyle brand, providing high quality home furnishing and women’s fashion with over 190 stores in 29 countries. Shoe Zone are the dominant UK retailer in the value shoe sector being established in 1917 and currently trading from 500 stores.

Andrew Shepherd commented “Eastbourne is a strong retail location dominating it’s immediate catchment. It is improving, further owing to the exciting extension to The Arndale Centre and we believe the fundamentals are in place to benefit from increased retailer demand and future rental growth. We are delighted to have secured this opportunity on behalf of our clients as part of evolving their portfolio.”

The Walnuts Shopping Centre in Orpington has evolved!

The new leisure quarter is now open, occupiers include Odeon, Premier Inn, Pure Gym, Nando’s, Bella Italia and Creams amongst others.

The landlord has recently completed a program of aesthetic refurbishment including new entrances, branding and lighting plus they have undertaken a major upgrade of the car park.

Please click the link below to see the new promotional video.

The Walnuts ”Fly-Through”’

Further improvements to the centre are planned with new public amenities being installed within the covered part of the centre linking into the central square. In addition, there is an upgrade of Orpington Market Place which sits adjacent to the centre.

We have a number of exciting transactions currently in legal hands with occupiers planning to open later in the Summer. There remains opportunities for retailers and caterers to gain representation within this vibrant and improving shopping centre.

Click here for more information on the units available.

 

 

 

AS Retail, the niche retail property advisory company founded in March 2015, continues to expand with the appointment of Rob Jones as Director.

Rob, who has over 10 years’ of professional experience, joins from the Shopping Centre Leasing Team at CBRE where he spent two years working with major clients including Legal & General, Schroders, Land Securities and Hermes. Rob spent 8 years prior at Brasier Freeth where he focussed on High Street and Shopping Centre leasing work nationwide plus providing advice to occupier clients.

He will focus on providing advice to Occupier and Landlord clients nationwide, delivering additional experience and depth to AS Retail’s core disciplines of shopping centre and high street leasing, site acquisition and disposals programmes plus providing investment and development advice.

This is the fourth hire for AS Retail in the two years since inception. The team has expanded expeditiously to date, with the appointment of lease advisory specialist Eleanor Oldershaw in November 2015 followed by the hires of Charlotte Lodge as Marketing Assistant and James Jenkins as Surveyor last year.

Andrew Shepherd, Director at AS Retail said: “Rob brings with him a wealth of knowledge, experience and complementary contacts within the retail industry. He will be a major driver in the development of our shopping centre and high street portfolios whilst strengthening our market presence from its existing platform. I am delighted that he has chosen to join us and am excited about the prospects for the future of the company”.

Rob Jones comments: “I am thrilled to become part of the dynamic team at AS Retail at a time where they are clearly going from strength to strength. They have an impressive existing client base, and I am excited to get to work on their varied workload and also bring with me my own network of contacts.”