Property Development & Investment Throughout the UK
Private equity giant, The Carlyle Group, and Bride Hall, one of the UK’s leading property development companies, are behind a vision to create a major dining experience in the heart of Chester, featuring four new restaurants.
The plans, from the owners of the Grosvenor Shopping Centre, will position Pepper Street as Chester’s prime dining hub.
The proposals – submitted to planners this week – have been inspired by strong demand from fast-growing restaurant operators, including some leading UK brands.
The large former Habitat and Multiyork buildings on Pepper Street will be redeveloped to create four new units on two levels. The units, two of which will include outside seating for alfresco dining, will range from 3,900 to 4,900 square feet.
The development is expected to create a number of local employment opportunities, and works could commence later this year.
“”Despite the challenging economic circumstances, eating out remains the UK’s most popular leisure activity””, said Bride Hall Director, Roger Gorham.
“”These forward-looking plans have been designed to meet the growth in demand for choice and quality,”” he added. “”The outcome will be a cluster of quality food offers that will inject even more new life in the city centre and benefit the wider Chester economy.””
With Picollino’s, Blackhouse Grill and Zizzi already situated across the road from the proposed development site, the developers are hoping that this area of the city centre will become the pre-eminent dining destination that will in turn enhance Chester’s evening ceremony.
The Pentagon Centre, managed by Bride Hall, has won a Purple Apple Award for Effective Advertising for their “It’s a Rap” online marketing campaign, designed to promote the Pentagon Shopping Centre and the town of Chatham via a medium their clientele could relate to.
They discovered that one of the Centre’s security guards was a talented local rapper who was keen to raise the profile of both the Centre and Chatham itself by showcasing the
shopping offer in an “all you need” manner.
The Centre commissioned the security guard (aka L.Kilah) to write and record a showcase for the retailers. The video was filmed by a local artist and contained fun lyrics which were checked by retailers and also saw them feature in the music video, with the ending of the rap reminding viewers of the location and to be part of the future of Chatham.
The video was shared on the Centre’s facebook and website pages, but the key to its success was its authenticity and appeal to local residents, which in turn encouraged them to
share it with their friends via youtube.
To date the video has received 36,690 views on youtube, clocking up 18,000 views within just one week of going live. Pretty impressive for a total marketing spend of just 90!
Morrisons has made major changes to its store plans for Hillingdon Circus in what has been called a victory for business and the people.
Bride Hall took pleasure in sponsoring the Retail & Leisure Agency Team of the Year at the 2012 Property Awards held at the prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel, Mayfair.
The award was presented by Bride Hall’s Managing Director, Nick Desmond, to the winning team – Cushman & Wakefield.
“The highlight for the retail and leisure team at Cushman & Wakefield was representing B&Q on the biggest out-of-town retail deal of 2011: the acquisition of 31 Focus stores, totalling 800,000 sq ft. Cushman & Wakefield’s strategy was to focus on occupiers, which led to some huge mandates, including the management of the portfolio of Everything Everywhere of 800 properties and being retained by occupiers such as Wagamama.”
The judges said: ‘They won some difficult pitches and attained fantastic figures’.
It’s all change in Chatham at the Pentagon Shopping Centre with two of our favourite stores doubling their size. This bucks the trend on most town centres where closed shops are a more familiar sight.
Along with job creation within the community, the larger JD Sports and Carphone Warehouse units will add to the retail offer at the Pentagon Shopping Centre and confirms Chatham as the prime shopping destination for the Medway region.
JD are relocating to a newly developed unit adjacent to WHSmith. The relocation has involved the combination of three existing units into one larger store to accommodate the move, with the new unit in excess of 5,000 sq ft.
Carphone Warehouse will take the 2,500 soft former JD Sports unit, allowing the store to expand it’s technology and service offer to customers in Chatham. As part of the move, the store will be introducing the popular Geek Squad computer troubleshooting and support service.
These new lettings follow a number of national retailers coming to the Pentagon Shopping Centre including Virgin Media, Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe and HMV.
Martin Stone, Centre Director, said “We’re delighted that JD Sports and Carphone Warehouse have chosen to take on more retail space at the Pentagon Shopping Centre. The relocations show a confidence in the Centre as an important local and regional shopping destination and it’s a move that signals the Pentagon’s intent and ambition to remain at the heart of retail in Medway.”
Both stores are due to open their new units in June 2012. Customers can log onto the Pentagon Shopping Centre’s website or follow the centre on facebook or twitter
to find out more details on the opening.
Press enquiries:
Hywel Jones
07980 991427
Bride Hall has concluded a number of lettings and renewals at the 3 shopping centres owned jointly with The Carlyle Group.
In Chester, strong fashion lettings have been completed with Jack Jones and Jigsaw, together with 2 lease renewals with Arcadia for TopShop/TopMan and Dorothy Perkins/Burtons. Tesco have taken a lease of 3 vacant units and open their Tesco Express format in April 2012.
In Edgware, Phones4U opened their new unit at the end of last year and we have just concluded with Poundland, who are upsizing into a 9,000 sq ft unit.
In Epsom, lettings have been concluded with Sports Direct and Gerry Webber.
At all 3 schemes, vacancy levels remain low and footfall for 2011 was up against 2010, which compares favourably against the Footfall National Benchmark of -1.8%.
Bride Hall has exchanged contracts for the purchase of a 2.5 acre site in Hounslow from London Bus services where it is planning a food store led mixed use development.
The development will comprise a 68,000 sq ft foodstore, which has been pre-let to Sainsbury’s together with some 100 residential units above.
A planning application is currently being worked up and is expected to be submitted in the spring of 2012.
Bride Hall and Morrisons have exchanged contracts to purchase the former Ikea site in Hillingdon Circus, London.
The development will include an 80,000 sq ft Morrisons and up to 200 residential units. A planning application is expected to be submitted in the Spring of 2012.
Artist Impression of Hillingdon Circus
Bride Hall has commenced planning appeal proceedings following refusal of consent on a site it owns in Eastcote, London.
The proposed development comprises a food store, pre let to Sainsbury’s with residential accommodation above.
Bride Hall has exchanged contracts to acquire a 4 acre site in Wymondham where it plans a 35,000 sq ft food store. A planning application will be submitted in the autumn of 2011 with a decision expected in early 2012.
“The latest plans to transform a redundant site in Wymondham into a supermarket and public transport hub have been put on display.
A second public exhibition on the scheme, presented by Bride Hall Developments, took place at the Central Hall on Wednesday.
The developer hopes to build a 20,000 sq ft store on the former sale ground, next to the railway station, which will include spaces for 214 cars, as well as new bus stops and coach parking which could be utilised by train passengers.
It intends to create a new junction off Station Road into the site with a second access for service vehicles off Cemetery Lane.
Matthew Thomas, associate planning director at Bride Hall Developments, said the latest plans have taken into account comments left by residents at an initial exhibition held last month, which about 300 people attended.
Mr Thomas said: “The big change we have put in this time is traffic lights on the junction that serves the food store as a number of people were saying traffic could be an issue.”
Bride Hall Developments intends to submit a full planning application by the end of October.” Norwich Evening News 24/9/11.