Category: News

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.”

AS Retail, the niche retail advisory company, have advised international furniture and lifestyle retailer BoConcept, on the acquisition of their brand new Flagship store on Rose Street, Edinburgh.

Situated in the heart of the City Centre, BoConcept will trade over 2 floors and are due to open in time for Christmas.

AS Retail are instructed by BoConcept to secure new stores nationwide in 2017. Please contact the team directly to discuss these requirements further.

 

Image Credit: BoConcept. The BoConcept website can be viewed here.

We are delighted to have been invited by a major occupier to assist with the confidential disposal of seven properties across the UK. The sites are all in prominent locations and would suit A1, A2 or A3 operators. The sites are located in Boston, Brighton, East Kilbride, Leyton, Maidenhead, Merry Hill and Salisbury.

An accommodation schedule is available via the property search and further details will be provided to named parties. Please contact Andrew Shepherd at AS Retail for further information.

AS Retail, the niche retail agency company has spent a day working at the Traid Charity Shop in Dalston on 23rd August 2016.

Traid are an award winning London based charity with 12 retail stores in locations such as Camden, Clapham, Brixton, Peckham and Wood Green. They specialise in retailing vintage and branded clothing from their high quality retail stores with the proceeds going towards Aid and International Development. They have their own fashion label, Traid Remade, and more information on their activities can be found at www.traid.org.uk.

Andrew Shepherd, Charlotte Lodge and James Jenkins spent the day working in the warehouse sorting clothing and donations, merchandising the store and assisting customers.

Andrew commented: “Traid have been clients for ten years and I thought it was about time for us to give something back. This day has been eye-opening in many ways, not only providing us with an insight into Traid’s activities but also educating us as retail property surveyors on the practicalities of successfully running a shop and retail chain.”

AS Retail, the niche retail advisory company, acting on behalf of Royal London Asset Management, have let a unit within Lower Precinct Shopping Centre, Coventry, to international stationery retailer Smiggle as they continue their expansion in the UK.

This is a 100% prime unit and Smiggle were the selected party after a competitive bidding situation. The property sits between Next and H&M with Smiggle aiming to open in the next few weeks following a comprehensive re-fit.

Andrew Shepherd, Director of AS Retail commented: “Smiggle are an excellent addition to Lower Precinct and boosts the tenant line-up further following the lettings over the past two years to Schuh, Pandora, Tiger and F Hinds. Other asset management opportunities exist for retailers to obtain representation within the centre.”

AS Retail have advised Cards Direct on their most recent store acquisition at Bouverie Place Shopping Centre, Folkestone, where they will join over 20 leading retailers. This will be the fourth store opening this year for the card retailer, following Canterbury, Basingstoke and Aylesbury, taking the portfolio to 13.

Please contact AS Retail to discuss Card’s Direct’s requirements or request the requirement list.