Shopping Centre June 2017

The business of retail destinations

www.shopping-centre.co.uk

June 2017 • £8.00

Handle with care Multi-storey car parks need regular maintenance

08 F&B unplugged

Landlords and operators debate catering trends

15 Parking

Soaring EV sales pose challenges for parking

28 Sustainability

Water and waste market open for competition

global LED solutions

The first Epoch screens in the retail market have launched at intu Lakeside

Delivering the mobile experience on a larger scale, the Epoch range features screens that seamlessly revolve between landscape and portrait formats to suit the content shown.

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Dynamic movement brings unique shopper engagement and drives interaction

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Flexibility to show a wider range of programming provide shoppers with content they’ll love

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Discover new commercial opportunities and offer a high impact platform for brand advertisers

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Revitalise spaces and places

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Boost footfall and dwell time

CONTENTS

Editor Graham Parker 07956 231078 gparker@55north.com

Editor’s letter

Editorial Assistant Iain Hoey 0141 222 5385 ihoey@55north.com Sales Manager Trudy Whiston 01293 416090 twhiston@55north.com Events Sales Manager Graham Harvey 01474 247032 gharvey@55north.com Senior Designer Richard Chaudhry 0141 222 5300 rchaudhry@55north.com Designer Lisa Deakin 0141 222 5388 ldeakin@55north.com Managing Director Antony Begley 0141 222 5380 abegley@55north.com Editorial Board Carl Foreman, Moorgarth; Byron Lewis, Mall Solutions Europe; Andrew McCall, The ROI Team; Howard Morgan, RealService; John Prestwich, Montagu Evans; James Taylor, Workman; David Tudor-Morgan, British Land No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publishers. JLD Media is operated by 55 North Ltd under licence from Stephens & George Magazines Ltd. The Publishers accept no responsibility for any statements made in signed contributions or in those reproduced from other sources, nor for claims made in any advertisements.

Shopping Centre is available on subscription. UK & Ireland £96; Overseas £150.

Shopping Centre is published monthly.

This is one of those situations where the timescales of print publishing fail to keep pace with the speed of events in the real world. As Shopping Centre’s June edition goes to press the UK security alert level has been

escalated to critical – meaning that an attack is imminent – in the wake of the Manchester bombing.

We’ve seen armed police on the malls and bag searches at centre entrances as malls implemented the plans they’ve rehearsed for over the years but hoped never to use.

It’s quite likely that, by the time you read this, the threat level will have gone back to severe. Certainly it has never been the security services’ intention that a critical state of

alert would last for more than a few days.

But things will not be the same. The Manchester attack on the softest of targets – parents and children enjoying a night out – means that shopping centres are going to have to learn lessons, adapt their procedures and then rehearse them repeatedly.

Graham Parker Editor Shopping Centre

CONTENTS NEWS & ANALYSIS 05 06 07 08 10 12

Land Securities hits the Street Green light for Bluewater extension Brent Cross in for detailed planning Food & Beverage unplugged Revolutionary screen deal for intu SCEPTRE Awards shortlists revealed

Page 08

FEATURES 15

28

Parking – Soaring sales of Electric Vehicles pose challenges for parking operators Sustainability – England opens up its market for water and waste services to competition

ISSN 0964-1793 | Printed by Stephens & George Ltd Shopping Centre, 55 North Ltd, 19 Waterloo Street, Glasgow, G2 6AY www.shopping-centre.co.uk

All rights reserved © 55 North Ltd 2017

REGULARS 30 35 35

Page 31

Data – Retail facts & figures People – intu releases origami money birds Moves – All the latest job moves

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3

NEWS

Land Securities buys UK outlet portfolio Land Securities has bought a portfolio of three outlet centres from Hermes Investment Management for £332.5m, generating net rental income of £21.6m.

The portfolio comprises Freeport Braintree in Essex, Clarks Village in Street, Somerset and J32 in Castleford, Yorkshire, and now establishes Land Securities – which already owned Gunwharf Quays and Hatfield Galleria – as the leading owner-manager of outlets in the UK. The acquisition follows the recent disposals of The Printworks in Manchester and The Cornerhouse in Nottingham and is in line with the company’s strategy of recycling capital into family focused retail and leisure destinations.

Scott Parsons, managing director retail at Land Securities, said: “Our retail strategy is focused on the destinations that offer the most vibrant and engaging experiences for retailers and consumers alike. This acquisition adds three new destinations to our portfolio, where we see potential for growth.”

Chris Taylor, head of private markets at Hermes Investment Management, said: “The sale of the portfolio is an excellent result for the fund and allows us to redeploy capital into markets where we have best-in-class asset management capabilities.”

Intu’s innovation lab was launched as intu revealed it has met its zero landfill target four years early and is close to reaching its 2020 carbon reduction and recycling targets. Measures include increasing the number of electrical vehicle charging points across intu centres to 78 and the installation of solar panels on the roof of intu Chapelfield. intu is also working with sustainability charity Bioregional to test new innovations that can be rolled out across the retail sector and intu centres nationwide.

LaSalle IM buys Morgan Quarter

Burgess Hill line-up takes shape NewRiver‘s £65m Burgess Hill regeneration scheme has taken a significant step forward with the signing of Next and Nando’s. The two new pre-lets take the retail and leisure element of the 465,000-sq ft scheme to 49 per cent pre-let, with a further 10 per cent in solicitors’ hands.

This news came as NewRiver completed the purchase of a site on nearby Leylands Road, a key milestone that enables the relocation of existing occupiers within the current scheme and paves the way for the next phase of preparation works. NewRiver

intu launches Green Lab

has agreed terms with Lidl and Iceland to surrender and relocate to sites adjacent to the shopping centre, as well as agreeing to relocate the council-owned library to a temporary position while its new home is built. As a result of all this progress, NewRiver hopes to be in a position to begin on site later this year.

As well as the a multiplex Cineworld and a 63-bed Travelodge, NewRiver will also introduce to the town centre development a variety of other shops and restaurants, as well as new homes, rejuvenated public spaces, and a new library for the town.

LaSalle Investment Management has bought the Morgan Quarter in Cardiff from Helical for £55m on behalf of the Greater Manchester Pension Fund. Helical bought the former David Morgan department store and two Victorian arcades in 2005. Since then it has delivered more than 300,000 sq ft of retail and office space where tenants include White Stuff, Jack Wills, Urban Outfitters and Molton Brown. An additional 56 residential apartments were built above the retail space and have since been sold. LIM was advised by Savills. JLL advised Helical.

Council buys out Bootle scheme Ellandi and Avenue Capital have sold the 400,000-sq ft Strand shopping centre in Bootle to Sefton Borough Council for a reported £32.5m. The pair bought the centre three years ago and during their period of ownership, TJ Hughes was secured as a new anchor tenant, and footfall has increased by 14 per cent year on year.

www.shopping-centre.co.uk

JUNE 2017 SHOPPING CENTRE

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NEWS

Green light for Bluewater extension Land Securities’ revised proposals for the West Village site at Bluewater have been given the green light by Dartford Council’s development control board.

The proposals amend a scheme consented in 2013 for 330,000 sq ft of additional floorspace.

Under the new plans, drawn up by Leonard Design, the twostorey extension itself will be smaller than originally proposed but the additional floorspace will now be distributed around the existing site to allow key retailers to expand outwards, as Next did last year.

Before the scheme can

proceed Land Securities will need to finalise Section 106 agreements that are likely to include payments to Dartford, Medway and Gravesham councils to mitigate any loss of trade in their town centres.

General manager Robert Goodman welcomed the decision and said: “The proposals to evolve Bluewater are important to ensure it continues to provide its guests with a comprehensive and compelling offer. Following the committee’s decision, our focus is now on working in partnership with our stakeholders on the detail of the proposals over the coming months.”

Bentall Centre refurb unveiled in Kingston

As the Bentall centre in Kingston, south-west London, turns 25, landlords Aviva Investors and Gingko Tree Investments have unveiled plans for a refurbishment and leisure extension including a fourscreen boutique cinema, new restaurants, new flagship stores, enhancement of the customer entrances, new customer service facilities, improvements SHOPPING CENTRE JUNE 2017

to mall areas and a children’s activity area.

A four-screen boutique cinema is proposed at the Clarence Street end of the Bentall Centre. It will be accessed via a foyer on the second floor. Four new restaurants at first floor level will provide a highquality family orientated dining hub which, together with the cinema, will create a new leisure offer.

A new and inviting entrance scheme is proposed at the centre’s Fife Road entrance, incorporating some of the design and lighting features already used on Clarence Street. The installation of retail and food & beverage kiosks will bring activity to mall areas which will also see a new and improved lighting, improved circulation space, a new children’s activity area and a new customer services desk.xxx

Trinity elevates its F&B offer Trinity Leeds has secured planning permission to introduce a new roof-top dining and bar offer. The space will consist of three distinct, but linked F&B destinations – The Potting Shed, Orchard and Secret Garden. Under the overarching brand The Potting Shed, the three bars and restaurants will have individual and retro designs with a theatre kitchen at their heart.

The bar and restaurant brand will occupy the new 15,000-sq ft space for 600 customers with an additional 2,500-sq ft open-air,

rooftop terrace, overlooking Leeds city centre, to accommodate a further 100 guests.

Rob Jewell, portfolio director at Land Securities, said: “The Potting Shed will further bolster Trinity’s celebrated rooftop dining offers and extensive leisure brands, including the three recent signings of Côte Brasserie, Jamaica Blue and Comptoir Libanais.”

Shelley Sandzer acted for Land Securities. Downing acted for Burning Night Group on behalf of Potting Shed.

www.shopping-centre.co.uk

NEWS

Brent Cross in for detailed planning Hammerson and Standard Life Investments have submitted a detailed planning application, in accordance with existing outline planning consent, for the £1.4bn redevelopment of the iconic Brent Cross shopping centre in London.

The plans, submitted to Barnet Council, envisage the refurbishment and extension of the shopping centre introducing more than 200 new retail stores, 60 restaurants, a state of the art cinema complex, hotel

accommodation, a new town square, a relocated and enlarged bus station as well as improved public spaces. Brent Cross London is the northern element of the wider £4.5bn regeneration plan for Brent Cross and Cricklewood, for which Hammerson and Standard Life Investments secured outline planning consent in 2010.

Designed by Callison RTKL and Chapman Taylor, the proposed development will see Brent Cross shopping centre double in size to around 2 million sq ft with 7,600

car parking spaces to become a world-class retail-led, mixed-use destination that will meet the demands of multi-channel retailing.

Premium brands commit to Meadowhall leases British Land has signed five new lettings at Meadowhall to Flannels, Neal’s Yard, Godiva, Tag Heuer and Nespresso, along with four store redesigns for House of Fraser, All Saints, Hollister and Hugo Boss.

Luxury fashion store, Flannels,

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will open a 10,000-sq ft store in May. Organic natural health and beauty retailer, Neal’s Yard, will open a 700-sq ft store in the summer. Luxury Belgian chocolatier, Godiva, joins the line up with a 1,700-sq ft experienceled concept store in August.

Swiss watch manufacturer, Tag Heuer, will open a 1,820-sq ft store, its largest in the UK. And following the successful launch of its kiosk in the centre, Nespresso, will open a permanent 1,200-sq ft store.

Richard Crowther, asset manager for British Land, said: “Our strategy is to ensure Meadowhall’s offer reflects consumers’ changing modern lifestyles.

Attracting these premium brands to the lineup achieves this objective and is a great endorsement of the enhanced environment we and our occupiers are creating at the centre.”

CBRE, Smith Young and Davis Coffer Lyons are letting agents.

Rawstron Johnson and Ewan Mackay represented Flannels and Neal’s Yard respectively.

CBRE and Harper Dennis Hobbs represented Nespresso.

Subject to planning consent, preliminary work on the development could start as early as summer 2018.

BL adds to Ealing holdings British Land has bought 10-40 The Broadway in Ealing town centre from Benson Elliot for £49m.

The freehold 1.4-acre mixed-use, multi-let site comprises 21 high street retailers. It covers 70,000 sq ft and is adjacent to British Land’s Ealing Broadway W5 local retail centre.

The site was previously subject to a residential-led planning application which has now been withdrawn enabling British Land to fully evaluate opportunities to grow value in conjunction with key stakeholders, including Ealing Council.

Charles Maudsley, head of retail & leisure for British Land, said: “Ealing Broadway W5’s outperformance over the last four years gives us considerable confidence to add to our holdings. The assets provide near term income as well as future development opportunities that can be progressed when the time is right.”

British Land was represented by Jackson Criss. Strutt & Parker and GCW acted for Benson Elliot.

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ANALYSIS

F&B unplugged by MAPIC Shopping centre landlords and F&B operators had an opportunity to exchange views on the market at an informal event in London hosted by MAPIC.

Dialogue between mall owners and F&B operators is essential if the huge strides taken in bringing variety and vibrancy to retail destinations are to continue, landlords and tenants agreed.

MAPIC director Nathalie Depetro set the scene: “We are seeing a major shift in consumer behaviour. With consumers increasing spend on F&B, the appetite for F&B is unquestionably having an impact on the retail real estate sector.

“What’s really interesting to me is that while some are considering a move back into restaurant dining, others are discussing the importance of pop-up food markets with a luxury feel, and debating which of the two options consumers favour more. Of course, each trend brings its own unique experience to the table, and this can only result in more choice for the consumer.”

Reflecting these two trends the evening saw presentations by a range of operators. Didier Souillat, CEO of Time Out Markets, said the food hall format was exploding across the USA, with 20 nationwide and seven in New York alone. “The concept’s very much in demand from both landlords and consumers,” he said. “A great F&B concept can be treated as an anchor tenant for a mall.”

Souillat’s own version, Time Out Markets, launched in Lisbon SHOPPING CENTRE JUNE 2017

in 2014, housing more than 40 different food offers, and it now attracts 3.1m customers annually, 30 per cent locals and 70 per cent tourists.

Now, the media organisation is aiming to grow the format globally with London and Miami due to open soon and more locations in the pipeline. “We’re creating a platform for young chefs to showcase their talent with much less financial risk, because of the huge footfall,” Souillat said.

“Short leases are the key,” he asserted. “How can you say you’ve got your finger on the pulse of the city when your tenants have been there for five years?”

James Elliot, who founded Pizza Pilgrims with his brother Thom, described the brand’s journey from a street food van, to opening its first pizzeria in Soho’s Dean Street, to now running a seven-strong chain. “We’re now at the point where we’re no longer a street food startup,” he said. “Can we roll out a more solid restaurant brand while keeping those values of youthful naivety?

The key is to keep it simple with a wonderful product,” he said.

At the other end of the scale Benugo has grown from a single site in Clerkenwell 20 years ago to become a £120m www.shopping-centre.co.uk

ANALYSIS company employing 3,000 people. Ben Warner, who founded the business with his brother Hugo, said: “The food industry is there to give people pleasure and you’re only as good as your last coffee, the last pizza you make.”

Most of the company’s growth has come from sites like parks and museums, and in-house catering at large corporations and in fact there are only 17 high street branches. “We’d love to do more on the high street,” said Warner, “but landlords are getting greedy. They want us but we can’t work on the £200,00 to £250,000 rents we’re being asked to pay.

“Turnover plus top-up works better if you want to attract artisan businesses,” he advised the landlords in the audience.

So how did the landlords react? Sarah Fox, Hammerson’s head of restaurants & leisure, had a background in the catering industry before joining the property giant, and she said her role is to help the company understand the intricacies of F&B businesses. “We need to understand their P&L and what level of sales they need to pay their rent,” she said.

“Rates, service charge, the cost of goods and labour are all a real challenge when you can’t increase your sales,” Fox conceded. “We try hard not to put F&B operators in a position where they’re paying rents they can’t afford, so we allow them to do turnover base-plus-top-up deals.”

Fox said: “One in four people now come to our shopping centres not to shop but to eat.” But she warned: “In pockets

www.shopping-centre.co.uk

there is restaurant saturation and our responsibility and landlords is not to put too much in one place.”

Equally, it’s important for Hammerson to get a handle on where the latest trends in F&B are heading, Fox said. “At Brent Cross we’re doing all the planning now five years in advance of it opening. How do you know what’s going to work in F&B five years hence?” The key is to get feedback from the industry, she concluded.

Alice Keown, British Land’s asset manager for food & beverage, said BL is on a journey to assimilate F&B into its centres. “Compared with the competition BL sites have lower exposure to F&B,” she said, “so we have the opportunity to create F&B at our destinations that meets customers’ needs.

“We have a simple ambition – to create places for modern consumer lifestyles. That sounds simple but it’s difficult to formulate so we’ve focussed on our consumers. We’ve tried to listen to who they are and what they want and overwhelmingly they tell us they want more restaurants, cafes and leisure.”

Reflecting this, British Land has just completed a new development at Glasgow Fort with four restaurants at the ground level of a new car park. “No-one would know it’s a car park,” Keown said. “Our shoppers are more comfortable and stay longer.

“It doesn’t matter where the location is, a restaurant is more than an amenity and we know that people who eat out while shopping spend 48 per cent more. It’s a symbiotic relationship for retail destinations,” Keown concluded.

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ANALYSIS

intu launches revolutionary digital screens from ADI A cutting-edge network of screens that revolve between portrait and landscape to keep shopping centre customers entertained is to launch at four of intu’s retail and leisure destinations across the UK. The deal marks the first time ADI’s innovative Epoch screens have been used within the retail market and builds on intu’s existing digital channel strategy which sees it broadcast both its own and brand-led content to millions of intu shoppers.

The specially created screens revolve between portrait and landscape formats, allowing them to replicate a ‘mobile experience’ on a larger scale, adding to customer engagement and enhancing intu’s advertising offer with specially created content.

The first installation, at intu Lakeside, has been completed with a dual-sided Epoch 230 which is suspended from the roof of intu Lakeside’s glass-domed food court, providing near 360-degree viewing opportunities for shoppers in the eateries on the upper level. An Epoch 330 located on a lift shaft will broadcast content to visitors on the lower and mid-levels of the centre.

The LED displays and their supporting structures have been custom engineered by ADI to fit intu Lakeside’s existing architecture where they have already become exciting new focal points. Not only do the screens revolve but the custom-build mounts allow them to change height to protect sightlines when operating in different formats.

Following the intu Lakeside launch Epoch screens will be installed at intu Metrocentre in June 2017, on the outside of the Soar leisure venue at intu Braehead in September 2017 and at intu Merry Hill early in 2018.

Under the terms of the deal intu is buying the screens outright from ADI, and it will generate content from its own TV studio and graphics team based at intu Trafford Centre, as well as showing live sports through its deal with Sky. SHOPPING CENTRE JUNE 2017

Roger Binks, intu’s customer experience director, said the deal leverages intu’s investment in fibre-optic cable across all its UK sites. “Digital innovation is part of intu’s DNA,” he said. “This is the latest example of how we’re using new technology not currently available anywhere else in the UK retail market to make customers smile and help brands flourish.

“We’ve seen from the content already broadcast on screens within intu centres as well as the entertaining editorial-led content on our online shopping platform intu.co.uk how much this kind of approach really engages our customers. intu’s unique partnership with ADI allows for more even compelling content to be created and displayed to customers that will also really enhance our offer to brands looking to advertise in intu centres.” intu’s media agency Limited Space will be selling slots to advertisers and Binks said brands are already looking at unique campaigns to take advantage of the revolving formats, but although this will generate valuable revenue Binks said: “This is not about advertising – it’s about content.”

Drew Burrow, business development manager at ADI, added: “How people consume content has changed thanks to the use of smartphones and tablets and this has heavily influenced the concept behind the Epoch range. We’ve fused sleek design, innovative engineering and the latest LED technology to create something new and exciting for the market.

“As a result of this important partnership with intu and combined with great content, the Epoch screens will drive very real value for intu shoppers and advertisers.” www.shopping-centre.co.uk

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ANALYSIS

Countdown to

SCEPTRE The initial judging round has been completed and the final shortlists for the 2017 SCEPTRE Awards are now available.

Book your place for the awards dinner at sceptre-awards.co.uk MARKETING MANAGER OF THE YEAR • Phil Maclean, The Valley Shopping Centre • Sarah Rawlings, High Chelmer • Jennifer Beavis, The Galleries Shopping Centre • Jason Pye, Workman Retail – Martlets Shopping Centre, Locks Heath Shopping Village, Sovereign Shopping Centre • Christine Macdonald, intu Braehead • Deirdre King, Swords Pavilions Shopping Centre COMMERCIALISATION INNOVATION OF THE YEAR • intu (PLAYMOBIL) • intu (POP! by MACKNEY) • centre:mk • Westquay Southampton • Templars Square Shopping Centre • Appear Here X Westfield: the INAYAH pop-up RETAIL LIAISON AWARD • Festival Place • intu Trafford Centre • The Bridges • London Designer Outlet • Gloucester Quays Designer Outlet • Stratford Shopping Centre OPERATIONS MANAGER OF THE YEAR • Tim Stone, intu Eldon Square • Samantha Crowden, Woolshops • Peter Jones, The Gracechurch Centre • Paul Lucas, intu Braehead • Jack Payne, Highcross • Lee Holland, The Glades SHOPPING CENTRE JUNE 2017

YOUNG ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR • Christine Dolan, Quayside Shopping Centre • Nikki Tansey, intu Trafford Centre • Paul James, The Valley • Michael Dennison, Manchester Arndale • Neil Eley, Cwmbran Shopping Centre • Martin Burgess, intu Merry Hill • Hannah Skerrett, The Grafton Centre SHORT TERM RETAILER OF THE YEAR • Pollyfields, Bluewater Shopping Centre • Binder Tohani, CastleCourt Shopping Centre • Havaianas, Cabot Circus • Mobros, Highcross • Appear Here X Westfield: the INAYAH pop-up • Argos, centre:mk ENERGY MANAGEMENT AWARD • Touchwood Solihull • intu Chapelfield • CastleCourt • Middleton Grange Shopping Centre • The Galleries Shopping Centre • Charlestown Shopping Centre WASTE MANAGEMENT AWARD • intu Trafford Centre • The Hildreds Centre • Westfield Europe • Ropewalk Shopping Centre • Canary Wharf Management Limited • Crystal Peaks Shopping Mall & Retail Park

SECURITY TEAM OF THE YEAR • Gunwharf Quays Premium Retail Outlet • Centrale Shopping Centre • The Water Gardens • Manchester Arndale • St David’s Dewi Sant Cardiff • Westfield London Shopping Centre CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM OF THE YEAR • Lisnagelvin Shopping Centre • Hillstreet Shopping Centre • intu Eldon Square • Gunwharf Quays • Bluewater Shopping Centre • intu Derby ALL IRELAND MANAGER OF THE YEAR • Marion Acreman, MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre • Ian Hunter, Pavilions Shopping Centre • John Jones, Kennedy Centre • Kevin Doyle, Laois Shopping Centre • Peter Dolan, Scotch Hall Shopping Centre • Michelle Greeves, Victoria Square MANAGER OF THE YEAR (SMALL CENTRE) • Paul Smith, Bramley Shopping Centre • Charles Barratt, Merlin’s walk • Peter Ruscoe, Sovereign Shopping Centre • Charlotte Jarrett, Clifton Down Shopping Centre • Jean Sharples, Atlantic Village Shopping Centre MANAGER OF THE YEAR (MEDIUM CENTRE) • Nikki Wilson Cook, Market Place Bolton • Nicola Cormell, Lower Precinct Shopping Centre • Shelley Peppard, intu Milton Keynes • Tony Wilkes, Ropewalk Shopping Centre • Daniel Kitchen, Swan Centre • Owen Acland, Templars Square Shopping Centre • Kevin Lockwood, Shrewsbury Shopping Centres MANAGER OF THE YEAR (LARGE CENTRE) • David McNee, The Galleries Shopping Centre & Retail Park • Ian McLelland, East Kilbride Shopping Centre • Cormac Hamilton, Trinity Walk • David Maddison, Trinity Leeds • Robert Hallworth, Middlebrook • Liam Smith, Fort Kinnaird

www.shopping-centre.co.uk

Features Schedule 2017 January

Commercialisation Maximising non–rental income Sustainability Efficient energy and waste management

February

Christmas Planning ahead for a successful festive season F&B/Leisure Adding diversity to the tenant mix

March

Parking Parkex preview Security Securing the shopper experience Ireland All Ireland retail property survey

April

Commercialisation Maximising non–rental income Customer Service Putting the shopper first

GRAHAM PARKER Editor 07956 231078 gparker@55north.com

May

Marketing Powerful tools to extend reach F&B/Leisure Adding diversity to the tenant mix

June

Parking Quarterly review Sustainability Responsible shopping centre investment

July

September

Parking Quarterly review Customer Analysis Tracking shopper behaviour Ireland All Ireland retail property survey

October

Commercialisation Maximising non–rental income Sustainability Efficient energy and waste management

November

Commercialisation Maximising non–rental income Cleaning Minimising hazards and improving appearance

Marketing Powerful tools to extend reach F&B/Leisure Adding diversity to the tenant mix

August

December

F&B/Leisure Adding diversity to the tenant mix Security Securing the shopper experience

IAIN HOEY Editorial Assistant 0141 222 5385 ihoey@55north.com

Parking Quarterly review 2017 Preview Looking ahead

TRUDY WHISTON Sales Manager 01293 416090 twhiston@55north.com

PARKING

WHY GO

ELECTRIC ?

As Milton Keynes pioneers an Electric Vehicle Experience Centre at centre:mk, industry experts give the low down on all things EV.

A

s shopping centres have a built-in stream of high footfall, there is no better place to promote a product, and electric vehicles (EV) are no exception. By 2020 there could be over 250,000 EV drivers in the UK, and the UK Government’s vision is that by 2050 almost every car and van in the UK will be an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV), with many of these electric plugin models.

Arguably, because of their eco-friendly systems, the best use for electric vehicles is in the heavily polluted urban environment, but most urban residents do not have off-street parking to install their own chargepoint and are reliant on having a public chargepoint nearby. Therefore, installing a charging points can make a car park into a destination for EV drivers, and good service may encourage regular visits to a centre.

Back in January 2016, £9m was awarded to Milton Keynes to encourage uptake of low emission vehicles and hit the target of 23 per cent of all car sales being electric or plug-in by 2020.

It was one of four cities and authorities in the UK who won a portion of the £40m government fund in the Go Ultra Low Cities campaign. As part of this scheme, the Electronic Vehicle Experience Centre, or EVEC, is to open at centre:mk.

The EVEC is being launched by Chargemaster, one of the biggest players in electric car charging, and it is to be the first of its kind in the UK. The experience centre will be housed in a 3,870-sq ft unit within the mall. It will serve as a display area for new electric vehicle technology from a select range of car manufacturers including Mitsubishi, Renault and Nissan, which will all be among the rotation of makes and vehicles as new models enter the market.

“Visitors to centre:mk will be able to experience the modern and technologically www.shopping-centre.co.uk

advanced space, designed by motor industry retail specialists TRO, and learn about sustainable motoring for private and business use,” says Ed Selleck, on behalf of centre:mk, joint owners Hermes Investment Management and AustralianSuper. “As an added bonus,” he continues, “Milton Keynes residents and businesses will also be able to test-drive a range of vehicles as well as lease low-emission vehicles on a longer term with the help of heavily subsidised rates from the EVEC.” Last August, new electric vehicle charging tariffs came into effect in Milton Keynes.

This involved bringing usage charges on the town’s 170-plus charging points in line with at-home charging, an increase to 56 rapid chargers which can fully charge a vehicle for as little as sixth of the price to fuel a similarly sized petrol car, and free parking at all electric charging bays. centre:mk itself has 68 charge points within walking distance of the centre, each able to charge two cars at any one time.

Brian Matthews from Milton Keynes Council believes that the EVEC will prove a massive success in promoting electric vehicles to the public and raise awareness of chargepoints in the area. He says: “This one-of-a-kind showroom will prove to be a high-profile resource, enabling visitors of centre:mk to experience the initiative in a high-quality environment. Their support throughout our low emissions initiative will no doubt attract visitors and add real value to the centre.”

While EV’s market share hold is low, growth is strong and there is investment by manufacturers, government, local authorities and commercial enterprise. EVs are now firmly positioned to become a large part of the transport mix in the coming decades.

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PARKING With EV sales soaring electric vehicle chargepoints should become a fixture at any retail destination. A panel of EV industry experts representing Zap-Map, carbuyer, Chargemaster and the British Electrotechnical and Allied Manufacturers Association (BEAMA) set out the key points to consider:

How should I go about installing an EV charging point?

Planning as far ahead as possible is important and there is a strong case for future-proofing installations by incorporating capacity for additional chargepoints. On initial installation, the cost of hardware to provide for future capacity tends to be far less than the labour and other costs (particularly groundwork) associated with upgrading systems at a later date. Management and enforcement of EV parking spaces is an important consideration when planning a chargepoint installation.

Are there any public sector grants available for charging points?

The Office for Low Emission Vehicles has a number of grant schemes available to the public and public sector at various stages of development and subsidy intervention rates. As of January 2015, the Government committed £1bn to support Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEVs) over the 2015-2020 period. Of this £1bn, £32m has been committed for infrastructure. This is broken down into: £8m for destination charge points in towns and cities, £15m for domestic charge points (home chargers), and £9m for ensuring public charge points remain accessible.

What type of charging point should I provide for my shoppers?

Charging points are primarily defined by the power they can produce and therefore what speed they are capable of charging an EV. There are currently three types of chargers: slow charging (up to 3kW) which takes around 6-8 hours; fast charging (7-22kW) which can fully recharge some models in 3-4 hours; and rapid charging units (43-50kW) which can charge compliant vehicles to 80 per cent in around 30 minutes. Different models of car will have different requirements, with many older models unable to be charged by rapid chargers. The industry is undergoing evolution, however, and rapid charging is expected to be the future. Consult with providers for advice on the most appropriate solution to meet your needs.

Do different cars have different connectors?

Not all cars have the same types of charging connector, although there aren’t that many varieties. There are two connectors to consider: the one that plugs into your car, and the one that connects to the power source. Slow chargers plug into a standard three-pin socket, but most public charging points have their own lead tethered to the station. The majority of new public charging products are supplied with the industry standard Type 2 socket and are fully compatible with every new electric or plug-in hybrid car and light van currently available in the UK. There is also wireless charging technology in development but at present there is only limited use of it.

different companies. Most of these are energy firms, and many require you to register with them and carry a swipe card to use their machines, although some also offer a smartphone app.

How can I make customers aware of my EV charging stations?

The Zap-Map App offers a UK-wide charging point map currently showing over 4,000 charging locations and over 12,000 connectors, and has been downloaded over 20,000 times. Charge point information is accessible from both the map and the list which includes the charging location’s full name and address, number and type of devices/connectors, network operator, access and parking costs, contact details and database licensing.

What is a public network and how do I become part of one?

UK public charging networks provide additional EV charging guidance, which offer a wide variety of services, support, costs and membership options.

There are numerous networks, including Polar, Charge Your Car, Ecotricity’s Electric Highway, Pod Point, Zero Carbon World, Tesla and Genie Point. In order to join a network, contact service providers directly.

Can I control who uses our charging point?

While this depends on the provider, the answer is usually yes. Some offer a key activated unit which enables the unit to be left on for public use, or use the key to control access to authorised users. Other offerings include a communicating unit with access controlled by use of an RFID card which enables you to issue access cards to authorised users.

How much will it cost to run a charge point?

Ultimately, this will depend on your electricity provider. Peak time charging is likely to be more expensive, however battery storage technology, such as is available from Powerstar, is paving the way for more affordable electricity.

Charging network operators offer services for monitoring use and cost of charging points. Chargemaster, for example, provides a login to its backend ChargeVision system which enables you to see how much electricity has been used and who is using it, as well as a downloadable report.

How do I install a charging point?

Many operators provide an end to end service. Chargemaster, the UK’s largest network, has its own installation company, where all staff are company-employed. Their installation company is made up of qualified electrical engineers and a groundworks and civils team, which ensures a complete installation service covering all aspects of any given project.

How can EV drivers access public charging points?

What kind of warranty is there on a charging points?

The UK’s charging station network is owned and operated by several

Industry standard is four years, however as the technology develops this is

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PARKING

likely to grow, with some operators extending their warranties up to 15 years. There are customer service teams in place to look after any warranty related issues.

How do I make sure my charging point is well maintained?

Providers offer maintenance and care packages which can include engineer support and on-site maintenance inspection. These visits may cover: l An inspection for physical damage including decals/paintwork l A visual inspection of wiring l A check of terminal connections, earthing connections and loop impedance l A check to ensure good voltage and polarity l Check that operation of all mechanical components and adjust as required l A check that latch mechanisms operate correctly l A test of the RFID reader and both power outlets l A cleaning of the unit

Is there any industry activity I should be aware of?

The EV infrastructure industry has needed to develop a new set of internationally agreed standards to ensure safety for users and support EU regulations drafted to achieve interoperability. Efforts are being made to draw together the variety of connected activities such as smart grid and adapt them to suit the UK market and infrastructure. Much of this work is at the early stages but is vital to gaining the full economic and environmental benefits that EVs have to offer.

The bottom line With the rising number of electric vehicles, installing a charging station is likely to be a necessity, but for most it is a new territory. It is likely to come down to initial cost versus long term benefit: will the charging station make a return on investment? With many companies offering warranty for as little as four years, installing a charge point has previously been a gamble, but as the market progresses, some providers are looking to reassure the robustness of their offering by almost quadrupling this number. Those thinking of installing EV charging points or increasing their current offering should contact providers to discuss their options. www.shopping-centre.co.uk

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0333 220 1030 sales@ukparkingcontrol.com www.ukparkingcontrol.com

WE’RE SO

PROUD!

UK Parking Control Ltd is proud to be identified in the London Stock Exchange Group’s ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ report.

UK Parking Control Ltd have been recognised in fourth edition of London Stock Exchange Group’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain report.

This report identifies the top 1000 fastestgrowing and most dynamic small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) across the UK. About UK Parking Control Ltd As one of the leading providers of bespoke parking management, UK Parking Control Ltd employs courteous staff and utilises cutting-edge technology to provide clients with effective and reliable parking solutions, partnering with clients from both the private and public sectors who look to them for innovative parking management solutions for their businesses.

UKPC is committed in taking the time to understand your specific requirements and propose bespoke solutions while simultaneously ensuring the protection of your brand.

UK Parking Control Ltd has been identified as one of London Stock Exchange Group’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain. The report is a celebration of the UK’s fastest-growing and most dynamic small and medium sized businesses across the UK. To be included in the list, companies needed to show consistent revenue growth over a minimum of three years, significantly outperforming their industry peers. More detail on the methodology can be found in the report online at www.1000companies.com.

Xavier Rolet, Chief Executive, London Stock Exchange Group Said: “Four years on, LSEG’s ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ report continues to highlight the dynamic, entrepreneurial and ambitious businesses across the country that are boosting UK productivity, driving economic growth and creating jobs. The strength and diversity of these companies is readily apparent with a broad mix of UK regions and sectors represented. These companies are the very heart of an ‘anti-fragile’ economy: more robust; more flexible and less prone to boom and bust. We must ensure we continue doing all we can to support high growth potential businesses like these.

“London Stock Exchange Group is fully committed to supporting and implementing initiatives which improve access to and cut the cost of finance for growing companies. We welcome the Government’s focus on supporting SMEs as part of its Industrial Strategy and await the outcome of its review into long-term patient capital.”

The Rt Hon Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: “I want to congratulate the 1000 companies from across the UK featured in London Stock Exchange Group’s pioneering 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain report.

Championing high growth innovative SMEs is crucial for the continued success of the UK economy and a country that works for everyone. We are committed to ensuring that companies of all sizes can access finance to grow, scale-up and create high quality well-paid jobs across the country.”

I’m extremely proud of everyone at UK Parking Control Ltd and I am delighted to be part of the Top 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain. It is a great achievement to be selected and we will continue to exceed our clients’ expectations by being the leading UK provider of professional, responsive, value-added services within the parking management industry.”

Rupert J Williams - Managing Director, UK Parking Control Ltd

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PARKING

END TO END SERVICE As Apleona launches its WelPARK division as a standalone business, director of parking and transportation solutions Andrew Bailey highlights the importance of management and maintenance in retail parking.

What is your background in working with shopping centres and parking?

“This will probably show my age a bit, but if we’re going back I worked for 17 years in retail before I moved into the parking management side of things which I’ve been in now for 13-anda-half years. I worked at NCP as an operations manager where I looked after 220 sites. I then worked on Westfield London when it was being built and completed in the run-up to the 2012 Olympic games.

“I also worked with, and continue to work with, what is now known as intu on building their strategy and implementing it across their portfolio.”

What are some of the biggest challenges for shopping centre car parks?

“Retail sites should be focusing on their customer journey. They want to get in quickly, find a parking spot quickly, have a good day at the shops, then pay for their stay and get out without any fuss. It’s a simple methodology: make sure you optimise the journey efficiently and effectively. You want to have personnel in place so that there is always someone on hand to talk to, and also to keep an eye on the tech. The tech needs to be robust and there should be no out-of-order signage anywhere. There should also be a traffic management strategy to account for the peak and trough periods throughout the day and throughout the year.

“The asset owner should also make sure the finances are in check. There are lifecycle management programmes to ensure that the car park is continuously well maintained and always on a sound footing.”

umbrella of companies. There was a tendency to view us as an add-on service, so we wanted to position ourselves as a standalone and act solely as a leading parking service.”

What is WelPARK’s plan for the future?

“We want to build on our work over the last five years – which has been very successful. We want to deliver on offers and solutions and set ourselves out as a dedicated parking management service. We want to take innovation and put it into parking, which is our unique selling point.

“We’re also looking to diversify a little in moving into designing, financing and building projects from end to end.

We’re currently working on a project with the NHS but there is no reason we can’t have a similar project in retail.”

Any concluding thoughts?

“I’ve learned that it’s not a one cap fits all business. It’s about giving them a fitted solution, that’s why we’re called WelPARK Solutions. We look at the client and find what’s suitable for them. We don’t want to pigeonhole. If there’s something they want that we don’t offer, we want to go away, do some research, and come back with an offer that can make it work.”

How important is car park management and maintenance?

“I’ve seen it from both sides of the fence. Parking is a critical point of the journey, not just a means to an end. It is part of the overall shopping experience that you are expected to deliver on and do it without compromise. It’s something that can majorly impact on a shopper: if you get it right, you’ve got a customer for life, but if you get it wrong then they’re going to go somewhere else.

Why is WelPARK launching a standalone service?

“We are just about to launch our own specialist standalone car parking service – WelPARK – operating under the Apleona SHOPPING CENTRE JUNE 2017

www.shopping-centre.co.uk

SWARCO TRAFFIC Ltd. SWARCO TRAFFIC Ltd.

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Withsystem an extensive publicsystem authorities, parking facilities, or as part of an integrated area-wide system providing driver information and guidance parking operators, and commercial sites, we can provide solutions to any requirement. across an entire urban network.

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SWARCO TRAFFIC Ltd. 7, Mercury Road, Gallowfields Industrial Estate, Richmond, North Yorkshire, DL10 4TQ, UK I First in Traffic Solutions.

T.SWARCO +44-1748-824 624, F. +44-1748-824 625 E. office.stl@swarco.com, www.swarco.com/stl

22

PARKING

WEAR,

TEAR & REPAIR

A car park is often the first impression a customer will have of a shopping centre, so maintenance is vital.

Iain Hoey reports.

SHOPPING CENTRE JUNE 2017

F

or shopping centres, the car park is an essential fixture. It is the first and last touchpoint on a shopping trip and its presence is expected by shoppers coming in from farther afield. It is also expected that the parking experience should run smoothly from entrance to exit. But without proper maintenance, this may not always be the case.

Too often, car parks are being designed to normal building standards when they are subject to a much more severe environment, similar to the exposure felt by bridges. As a result, deterioration, particularly reinforcement corrosion due to the effects of de-icing salt and the regular flow of heavy vehicles, is having a major impact on their durability.

Repairing a parking facility is likely to be a costly affair, and can result in closure of sections or the entirety of the site, and the knock-on impacts can be catastrophic.

Maintenance, therefore, is critical.

Norman Baker, parliamentary under-

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PARKING secretary of state for the Department of Transport warned the British Parking Association (BPA): “Closing a car park has a significant impact on commercial businesses in the vicinity whilst also reducing revenue for the local authority.”

He added: “Evidence has shown that some local authorities and some private operations generally neglect car parks both from a structural and a decorative point of view. There are likely to be hundreds of examples nationwide of car parks which, if inspected by a qualified engineer, would need extensive repair.”

One of the biggest issues is that a car park is a powerful income provider and can be a quick fix for a cash-strapped public-sector-funded organisation. If it is done right, an extension or refurbishment is an easy money grab. More parking spaces equal more revenue. But there can be the risk of looking for an instantly gratuitous fixture which will suffer in the long run, and multi-storey builds are

www.shopping-centre.co.uk

among the biggest culprits.

“Parking capacity can be increased four or five-fold on a comparatively small area by building a multi-storey structure,” says Graeme Middleton, business development manager of car park refurbishment specialist Cemplas. “With modern design and construction techniques, it’s simple enough to erect a 300-space car park with pre-cast segments and a lightweight powdercoated steel frame, clad with some architecturally pleasing metalwork that cunningly disguises it as some futuristiclooking structure of purpose – the purpose being that it becomes a cash generator.”

“But,” he continues, “the new kids on the block are these ‘futuristic’ parking structures that are only a quarter the age of their peers, and yet are exhibiting very similar signs of distress: cracks in the asphalt deck surfaces that allow water to seep – sometimes pour – through onto cars below, damaging their paintwork and creating an unpleasant environment

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PARKING for patrons; waterproof decking systems that are so poorly applied or maintained that in many cases they can be peeled up with your fingers; movement joints that have failed so dramatically that they leave gaps through which you can wave to the people on the deck below; and even structural steel paintwork with more rust on it than Spaghetti Junction.”

DON’T BE A LIABILITY From structural damage to technology faults, there are any number of potential hazards to contend with in a car park. It is a dynamic environment with vehicles and pedestrians constantly on the move and interacting with one another in unpredictable ways. It can be an arduous beast to look after, but if it is maintained in an effective manner then it can be profitable and reduce the risk of unforeseen claims. But somebody is always going to have to pay, so keeping costs down should be a priority.

Chris Budd, head of technical solutions at Watco,

anti-slip traffic paint can be applied to protect

manufacturer of industrial strength flooring

against any dangerous slopes on curbs to pre-

products, gives tips and advice on essential jobs

vent slips and trips. Look to use a fast curing

to consider.

paint, which means less downtime, and get

l It is essential to ensure the overall surface is in

your car park back in use quickly.

a good state of repair. Over the winter months

l For a concrete surface, as found in under-

your car park may have been subjected to bad

ground car parks, consider using an epoxy

weather and developed potholes and cracks.

floor coating, which will add a thick layer of

Potholes can pose health and safety problems

strength to the surface, many times more

for car parks and paths so it’s important to get

protective than paint alone. It acts as a sealant

them filled, fast. Fix all potholes right away.

to prevent substances like oil soaking in and

l Heavy traffic or cold weather can accelerate the formation of cracks in a car park’s asphalt sur-

has anti slip properties.

l Clean up rubbish regularly. Have a schedule for

face. Even the smallest can lead to water ingress

regular maintenance and cleaning or you can

at an alarming rate, causing erosion and surface

consider contracting with a car park sweeping

deterioration. Use a rubberised bitumen-based

company that will also help with rubbish

asphalt filler to seal cracks in your car park, which will also avoid the growth of weeds

removal and pest control.

l After you’re certain you have a safe car park,

l Choose the right surface paint, preferably anti

consider any regulations that apply. Specifi-

slip paint, to clearly label parking spaces, lanes,

cally, you’ll need to provide disability spaces.

disabled spaces, loading and unloading areas,

These spaces must be as close as possible

emergency parking, etc. and which will result

to an accessible entrance to the building and

in a safer and easier-to-navigate car park.

must have at least a 60-inch-wide aisle next

l Emergency lanes should be clearly marked so that no one mistakenly obstructs them. An

SHOPPING CENTRE JUNE 2017

“All of this costs money and that is why we believe that so called ‘free parking’ is not viable,” says Kevin Reynolds from the BPA. “There’s no such thing as a free parking place – somebody somewhere is paying for it. So-called free parking is subsidised in some way, either by council tax payers, business ratepayers or a combination of both.”

The potential hazards in any car park are endless and unavoidable, and they include: overparking and site congestion resulting in dangerous manoeuvres; lack of properly marked parking areas and pedestrian routes; carelessly parked cars which may obstruct manoeuvrability and visibility; poor surfaces and lighting; security concerns including vehicle theft and other related crime and poor maintenance of car par equipment and facilities resulting in equipment failure and accidents. In the most extreme cases, failure to manage car park facilities can result in serious incidents and even fatalities.

to them for a wheelchair-bound person to have space to enter and exit the vehicle.

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PARKING Reynolds says that the task of maintenance is the responsibility of the owner/operator. They have a duty of care to ensure the building in a safe condition for those persons in or about it whether lawfully or otherwise. It is a legal requirement as outlined by the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 and the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1984.

“The task of inspecting and maintaining a car park can be delegated to an employee or to a third party by outsourcing,” Reynolds tells. “But in doing so, the extent of the responsibility must be defined which in the case of an employee can be by way of a job specification. In the case of outsourced services the responsibilities should be scheduled in the employers requirements.

“Although specific responsibilities can be delegated,” he continues, “the owner/ operator/employer has overall responsibility for the car park and has a duty to have a

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proper framework with procedures in place for resourcing, executing, monitoring and auditing those procedures.”

He explains that, should there be a breach of statutory duty, it is the responsibility of the owner/operator to prove that every possible action was taken that was reasonably practical at that time, and lack of funds or resources is not a valid excuse. “Needless to say this is a time consuming exercise which can be expensive and very disruptive to operations,” he warns.

LIFE-CARE PLANS Structural safety and integrity in car parks is paramount. Many owners and operators do not have a life-care plan for their car parks and many do not even know that it can apply to simple retaining structures in surface level car parks as well as large multi-storey buildings.

Life-care plans are documents or systems which set out a plan to

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PARKING encourage the regular inspection of the structure and continued dialogue between the owner/operator and their engineers (in house or via consultants).

The correct administration of a life-care plan will ensure that the correct actions are taken at the appropriate time.

BPA’s guide to life-care plans outlines a life-care plan as consisting of: l a description of the car park with age, photographs, as built information l a record of previous investigations, repairs, accidental damage, winter maintenance l records of daily surveillance and routine inspections l a condition survey and material testing l structural appraisal by a chartered structural engineer l priced repair and maintenance options l recommendations for future action l records of works undertaken and costs involved.

All structured car parks including new

ones, should have a life-care plan which should be prepared by a competent and suitably experienced person.

The guide warns that unchecked levels of safety may result in unexpected collapse or closure which, in the event of litigation, can be expensive and damaging to the owner/operator’s reputation and business, with emphasis on the point that the reputation of the industry is ‘only as good as the next catastrophic failure’.

FLOORING Floor maintenance is an important aspect of any well-frequented environment.

Building owners and operators will be looking for low-cost application and a quick turnaround so that parking spaces can be usable again as soon as possible after resurfacing is completed.

Fortunately, recent advances have significantly reduced the time needed to resurface areas such as car parks.

Industrial flooring expert, Covestro,

Criminal activity is common in some car parking areas with crimes involving theft from vehicles or, more seriously, theft and/or assaults on persons. As a way of combating such crimes, the Association of Chief Police Officers, in conjunction with the British Parking Association (BPA), launched a safer parking scheme in 2004.

The scheme provides useful information on how to improve security in parking areas based upon a number of aspects including:

l The provision of suitable lighting to reduce dark areas.

l Management systems that review procedures for safe operation.

l Maintenance procedures for any securityrelated items (eg cctv).

l The arrangement of parking areas to reduce obstructions and aid surveillance.

l Controlled pedestrian and vehicular access and egress routes.

l Good and clearly visible signage relating to the safe use of the car park.

l Suitable and sufficient surveillance arrangements (eg cctv, patrols, etc).

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PARKING says that floor coatings should meet the needs of these pressures by proving durable under any condition to reduce the frequency of resurfacing. Resurfacing is a disruptive process, meaning closures and temporarily loss of parking spaces, which can have knock on impacts for the whole centre. But this need not be the case.

Thanks to the improved curing process, several layers of floor coatings can be applied in a single day using standard equipment. The coating can now be walked on after just a few hours, minimising downtime on construction sites and saving money. The number of coating steps can be reduced, ensuring savings in time and labour costs.

“Building owners and operators benefit just as much from the technology as architects, civil engineers and, of course, floor coating specialists,” said Contardo Pafumi, head of marketing for building applications in Covestro's coatings, adhesives, specialties segment.

www.shopping-centre.co.uk

Intu’s Merry Hill multi-storey car park, which features a total of 1,000 parking spaces for visitors of the shopping centre, recently underwent a large-scale rejuvenation. The owners were looking for the two near-100,000 sq ft internal car parking decks to be coated with attention to durability, ease of cleaning, and, due to its lack of natural light, a bright interior. The middle parking level had been closed for seven years due to continual and excessive water ingress from the roof deck.

“There is an old adage which says that ‘a stitch in time saves nine’” stresses BPA’s Kevin Reynolds. “Nothing could be closer to the truth when maintaining a parking facility. Take good care of it, look after it, and it will serve you well for a very long time. Ignore it, hope for the best, starve it of investment and TLC and it will quickly deteriorate and degenerate, becoming a drain on resources and, potentially subject to structural failure, lead to early closure.”

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SUSTAINABILTY

Being able to monitor the amount of waste a centre produces can significantly reduce costs.

W

hen it comes to waste, commercial properties are among the biggest culprits, producing 1.3bn tons of municipal solid waste worldwide each year. Running an environmentally sustainable property has its financial snares, so there are a number of factors to consider in finding the balance between economical and responsible waste disposal. But it is possible to save money with the right management.

“As the generator of waste, one needs to take responsibility for ones waste,” says Don’t Waste UK director Michael Foreman. “Commercial properties need to have in place their own ‘duty of care’ matrix which maps out each grade that leaves site, each transporter, its destination, what the single or multiple outputs are, how those are classified and whether the treatment sites and transporters are licenced and permitted and when these expire.”

Don’t Waste UK is a waste service provider that specialises in allowing SHOPPING CENTRE JUNE 2017

organisations to exercise full control of its waste operations, across single or multiple sites and multiple waste providers. The group which currently works with shopping centre clients including intu, offers a service model that analyses existing waste and carries out compliance checks on all aspects of the waste journey. According to Linus Naik, group sustainability manager, this allows compliance to be monitored by the system going forward, and that data is “real” and transparent.

Head of R&D Peter Trollope explains: “Taking responsibility for our waste impacts positively on the unsustainable consumption and usage of precious raw materials and natural resources.

It ensures that we minimise the risk of illegal dumping, poorly managed transportation of waste, disposal at unlicensed or permitted treatment sites, and the possible pollution of our land, air and water environments, not to mention the health of human and other living

creatures.”

Tony Wilkes, Lee Baron’s centre manager at the Ropewalk shopping centre in Nuneaton, reinforces the importance of effective waste management, commenting that efficient waste management should be a simple, effective way to reduce the costs involved with running a commercial building. Wilkes says that: “Working with stakeholders and retailers is vital in achieving 100 per cent segregation and recycling of waste – which will ultimately lead to a significant reduction in waste management costs, while lessening our impact on the wider environment.

“Commercial buildings,” he adds, “are placing an increasing importance on presenting themselves as ‘green’ and sustainable, in order to boost their corporate image and attract quality tenants. What’s important is that each centre defines its green values to ensure that any actions taken adhere to the values originally outlined.” www.shopping-centre.co.uk

SUSTAINABILTY

ATER W

YOU WAITING FOR?

Since April this year, commercial and non-residential water users in England have been able to choose their supplier of water and water services. Claire Yeates looks at the implications of this change.

I

n April 2017, water supply across England became a competitive retail market. The move is hugely significant as it has created the largest retail water market in the world with 1.2 million customers and a total market value of ÂŁ2.4bn.

The new marketplace gives commercial and non-residential customers the option to switch to the supplier who will give them the best price and service level regardless of where they operate in England. The same model was adopted in Scotland in 2008.

Many water companies have a notoriously bad customer service record and billing performance. There have been frequent stories of overcharging, issues with billing accuracy and poor data/meter management. This water revolution should help to overcome many of the complexities of the current system, such as price variations, metering issues, billing inefficiencies and overly convoluted tariff structures.

So how does the open water landscape look now? Currently there are 21 licensed water retailers, from whom businesses in the retail sector can choose to supply their water, and 20 water and wastewater wholesalers across the UK which maintain the infrastructure and physical supply of water. So, in practice the new open water landscape is simple.

The reality is, unfortunately, more complex.

There have been market system issues, data inconsistencies and extortionately high estimated billing errors. On top of this, there are various supply options available to commercial customers requiring thorough consideration, plus Third Party Intermediaries (TPI’s) offering a broker service in exchange for percentage rebates from the water retailers. There is a real lack of independent nationwide knowledge on which customers are making important decisions.

Going forward, we expect these creases to be ironed out and a robust, functioning www.shopping-centre.co.uk

market to exist. But this is likely to take a couple of years to achieve. We anticipate that even more water retailers will join the market whilst others will leave and others possibly merge.

Ultimately, how much a commercial property can stand to save in real terms depends on a range of factors. For customers operating in the retail sector, the main determining factors are their annual water consumption, geographical location, current supply contract and the services required from their new water supplier.

In general terms, by following a procurement exercise and switching supplier, we’ve seen savings in the retail sector of between 2.5 per cent and 9 per cent in the English market and up to 21 per cent in the more established Scottish market.

There are clear benefits of being in control over your water especially in cost terms. The current prediction is that prices will reduce: a small margin will be available to water retailers, a proportion of which will be passed through to customers.

There should also be a benefit in terms of the hidden cost of administration time. For multi-site organisations who may be dealing with multiple separate water companies, switching to a single supplier will consolidate billing, saving administration time and effort.

To fully benefit, however, customers will need high quality usage data for use in procurement negotiations. Clear and transparent data will enable decisions and actions to be made to reduce cost and improve consumption efficiency. It should also reduce administration time and lead to quicker resolution of supply issues.

As businesses and other organisations act more responsibly, and consumer knowledge around water increases, water management could become an important factor in sustainability strategies. n Claire Yeates is director at independent consultancy Waterscan.

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DATA

Irish retail holds up According to the latest bulletin from CBRE, despite some undertones of negativity from certain sectors of the retail industry over recent months, core retail sales remain buoyant yearon-year, footfall is healthy and many retailers are reporting good levels of activity.

In the property sector, in addition to the length of time it is taking to get transactions across the line, the biggest challenge continues to be a scarcity of stores to match volumes of occupier demand for established schemes and prime high street locations.

Fashion retailers are increasingly having to amend their offer in order to be able to compete with the threat of online trading and are therefore not expanding to any great degree at present. In addition, some UK retailers are putting location and expansion decisions on hold in the short term in light of Brexit and the impending UK election.

However, there is strong demand at present for premises from service occupiers, food and beverage operators and those specialising in beauty. Demand is particularly strong for good neighbourhood schemes and well-established

shopping centres.

From a development perspective, refurbishment and expansion plans are now well underway in a number of retail schemes and CBRE expects development to commence shortly on Clery’s department store on Dublin’s O’Connell Street following the recent completion of an oral hearing on this scheme. Meanwhile, the Fawaz Alkohair group has agreed terms on the acquisition of two sites in Waterford and has announced plans to lodge planning for a large retail-led mixed-use scheme in this location in due course.

Independent trader profile – Lily Nails When Mathew Wang immigrated to the UK from China, it was with plans for his wife to join him later and launch their own nail bar together. However, even the greatest laid plans can take a while to come to fruition and this was certainly the case here.

While waiting for his wife to join

SHOPPING CENTRE JUNE 2017

him, Mathew began working as a chef in London’s busy Chinatown, until his school-teacher wife was able to join him four years later. They then decided to make the move to Scotland, as they felt this would provide a better future for both their business and planned family. Finally, when their

three children were of school age they finally started to plan their business and both began their training as nail technicians.

Mathew contacted Space to trade in July 2016 with a view to setting up their first Nail Bar at Oak Mall in Greenock.

Space to trade then worked closely with the husband and wife team to design a purpose-built kiosk. Their dream finally became a reality when they launched Lily Nails at Oak Mall in August 2016.

Since launching Lily Nails last summer, the business has gone from strength to strength, building up a strong customer base of loyal customers. They’ve had to increase their staff and now have four nail technicians working for them and most weekends, customers have to stand in line to have their nails done; such is their popularity.

Paul Clifford, managing director of Space to trade said: “This is what mall trading is all about. They knew exactly what they wanted to achieve and had the patience and dedication to make their business a success.” www.shopping-centre.co.uk

DATA

F&B on the rise Food and beverage operators plan to capitalise on changing shopping habits by opening nearly 3,000 new restaurants and cafes in the two years to the end of 2018, according to Cushman & Wakefield’s UK Food & Beverage Market report.

Cushman & Wakefield surveyed 95 F&B operators on their future plans with results suggesting there will be a net addition of 1,414 units in 2017 from these operators and the wider market followed by 1,515 in 2018. These expansion plans will require consumer F&B outlay to increase by a net £674m and £722m respectively.

The research revealed that between January 2014 and January 2017 the number of clothing, footwear and white goods shops decreased by 2,185, while the number of restaurants and cafes increased by 2,998 – growth of 9%. As a result, F&B now accounts for one fifth of all retail and leisure units.

www.shopping-centre.co.uk

Cafés, fast food and takeaways have seen the strongest growth within the food and beverage sector, up 1,527 and 1,035 respectively in the last three years.

In the same period, the number of restaurants has increased by 897, with expansion of American food operators, such as Red’s True Barbeque. The growth in American cuisine has come at the expense of Indian and Chinese restaurants, with the removal of 205 and 192 sites respectively.

The report also shows that food and beverage expansion has also become increasingly dominated by multiple retailers – defined as those with five outlets or more. These operators accounted for 37 per cent of net expansion in 2014, which had increased to 49 per cent by 2016. Cushman & Wakefield expects this market share will continue to rise as multiple operators expand their presence across the UK.

Thomas Rose, head of Cushman & Wakefield’s leisure & restaurants team, said: “Online retailing has grown rapidly and, as a result, consumers are changing their habits. Food and beverage outlets, which offer an experience that cannot be replaced wholly online, present an opportunity for landlords to increase dwell time and expenditure within their centres. They also allow them to capture a larger slice of the total available catering market by moving from pure retail to experiential destinations where people go not just to shop, but also to socialise and be entertained.”

Darren Yates, Cushman & Wakefield’s head of retail insight, added: “The total growth in the eating out market can sustain the projected growth in outlet numbers but several downside risks remain, such as higher inflation, potential business rate increases, a rise in the living wage and, potentially, tighter labour laws due to Brexit.”

JUNE 2017 SHOPPING CENTRE

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Find out more about these suppliers Visit: shopping-centre.co.uk/directory Tel: 01293 416090 Email: trudy.whiston@jldmedia.com

PRODUCTS & SERVICES ACCESS

PARKING

BUILDING REFURBISHMENT

GLAZING

Commercial Glazing Specialists

Car Park Structural Repair & Protection Specialists • • • • • •

• • • • • •

Concrete Condition Testing & Investigation Lifecare Plans & Budget Costings Concrete Repair & Protection Anti-Carbonation Coatings Deck Waterproofing Movement Joints

T: 0208 654 3149 W: www.cemplas.co.uk E: info@cemplas.co.uk

CAR PARK GUIDANCE AND MANAGEMENT

High Level Glass Replacements Health & Safety Inspections & Report Leak Identification & Rectification Services Refurbishment Programs Annual Maintenance Dedicated Shopping Centre Division

T | 0207 183 6551 E | info@glre.co.uk

www.glazingrefurbishments.co.uk

COMMERCIALISATION

Swarco

Destination Space

0174 882 4624

0161 743 4644

www.swarco.com

www.destination-space.com

Decx

Forum CentreSpace

01773 835552

0191 226 8844

www.decx.co.uk

www.forumcentrespace.co.uk

Fizzco Projects

InnerSpace

01427 666029

0161 477 3652

www.fizzcoprojects.co.uk

www.innerspace.uk.com

Gala Lights

Shoppertainment Management Ltd

01622 882424

0161 817 5221

www.galalights.com

www.shoppertainmentmanagement.co.uk

BlueFrog Cleaning Services

Space to Trade

01903 262 555

028 406 60138

CHRISTMAS SERVICES

CLEANING & MAINTENANCE

www.bluefrogcleaning.co.uk

www.spacetotrade.co.uk CUSTOMER COUNTING

www.shopping-centre.co.uk

Vileda

Coinfactory

0845 769 7356

0161 633 2298

www.vileda-professional.com/en-GB/

www.coinfactory.co.uk

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Find out more about these suppliers Visit: shopping-centre.co.uk/directory Tel: 01293 416090 Email: trudy.whiston@jldmedia.com

34

PRODUCTS & SERVICES GLAZING

Glazing Refurbishment

Premier Park

01638 730 612

01392 308 480

www.glazingrefurbishments.co.uk

www.premierpark.co.uk

Clearhill

Scheidt & Bachmann UK Ltd

02840 622028

01372 230 400

www.clearhill.com

www.scheidt-bachmann.com

Shopping Centre Mangement

UKPC

01372 386983

0333 220 1030

www.shoppingcentremgt.co.uk

www.ukparkingcontrol.com

Shoppertainment Management Ltd

Vehicle Control Services

0161 817 5221

0114 261 7111

www.shoppertainmentmanagement.co.uk

alunc@excelparking.co.uk

LEISURE VENDING

MARKETING

RESEARCH

JFR Promotions

Latimer Appleby

0161 440 7035

01273 648 335

www.jfrgroup.net

www.latimerappleby.com SECURITY

ANPR International

VSG

0114 261 7111

01604 744000

alunc@excelparking.co.uk

www.vsg.co.uk SHOPPING MALL WIFI

PARKING

Excel Parking

Inkspot Wifi

0114 261 7111

0131 556 4034

alunc@excelparking.co.uk

www.inkspotwifi.co.uk SIGNAGE

G24

Sign Options

0870 0427215

01254 695550

www.g24.co.uk

www.signoptions.co.uk

Find out more .

about these suppliers...visit

www.shopping-centre.co.uk/directory

To advertise in Products & Services or in the Shopping Centre online directory please contact: Trudy Whiston at twhiston@55north.com

or call 01293 416 090 SHOPPING CENTRE JUNE 2017

www.shopping-centre.co.uk

PEOPLE / MOVES

intu releases origami money birds

Hundreds of origami birds worth thousands of pounds have been folded and set free by intu across its 14 shopping centres around the country following new research revealing that unexpectedly finding money is the nation’s most joyful surprise.

A team of experts spent over 130 hours folding hundreds of origami birds worth £10 each, which were hidden to surprise and delight shoppers nationwide.

The stunt was based on research that it’s the simple surprises that bring the most

happiness. Finding money was voted the nation’s happiest surprise, followed by hearing your favourite song on the radio, getting a refund you thought was a bill, hearing from an old friend unexpectedly and getting a compliment from a stranger.

Roger Binks, customer experience director for intu, said: “We hope our origami birds put a smile on the faces of the customers lucky enough to find one within our shopping centres. We’re passionate about creating experiences that surprise and delight our 35 million customers and by focusing on key moments both large and small we aim to ensure each and every customer leaves our centres happier than when they arrived.”

Art animates East Kilbride Leading street artist James Klinge has created a series of original paintings inside the centre. The life-size pieces form a unique gallery for shoppers to enjoy as they walk from Olympia into the centre’s new multi-million pound leisure development, The Hub, EK. Alongside seven restaurants, a renovated ice rink, and the daring Hi-ride walkway, The Hub, EK is also home to two of the largest canvases in the series, all of which highlight the centre’s position as a leading

fashion destination.

Centre director Ian McLelland said: “The Hub is an outstanding new development and we wanted James to create 12 paintings that not only summed up the centre’s vibrancy, but made our visitors stop, take a minute and think about what they were looking at. It’s very rare that people can get this close to art and we hope the pieces captivate our visitors, create debate and provide them with something unique to enjoy.”

This month’s moves . . .

PRIME RETAIL has promoted BRAD MAHER to equity partner. He joined Prime Retail as an associate partner in September 2014, having previously worked at Cushman & Wakefield.

CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD has strengthened its EMEA Insight team with the arrival of DARREN YATES as sector specialist covering retail. He is returning to Cushman & Wakefield where he worked previously on European retail between 1996 and 2011. Since then he spent five years at Knight Frank focused on global capital markets and the last 18 months at Carter Jonas covering the UK. www.shopping-centre.co.uk

COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL has appointed GILES ROBERTS as a director in its retail capital markets division. Previously a director at JLL in the shopping centre investment team, he has transacted over 35 shopping centres with a combined value in excess of £2.5bn.

Law firm IRWIN MITCHELL has appointed Pinsent Masons’ partner ADRIAN BARLOW to the role of national head of real estate. Based in London, he will be responsible for leading a team of over 30 commercial real estate partners and more than 40 other commercial real estate lawyers across eight UK offices.

CARDINAL SECURITY has recruited GRAHAM ALLISON as commercial director. He has been in the security industry for over 20 years and joins Cardinal from Sentinel Group Security, where he was chief operating officer for over three years.

HAMMERSON has promoted MAXIME DEPREUX to the newly created role of chief operating officer – premium outlets, with responsibility for Hammerson’s European outlets portfolio. He joined Hammerson France as an asset manager in 2009 before joining the outlets team as investment director in 2014 following the creation of VIA Outlets.

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