Shopping Centre May

The business of retail destinations

www.shopping-centre.co.uk

May 2017 • £8.00

Head for heights Marketers aim to standout from the crowd

06 Planning

C&R lodges Mall Walthamstow Planning application

16 Marketing

Online marketers must fight hard to capture shoppers’ attention

22 Leisure

Have shopping centres reached peak F&B?

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.

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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

This issue contains a timely warning that we may be in danger of reaching peak F&B. Casual dining brands have had a good run over the past decade, and shopping centres have been happy to go along for the ride, using F&B as a

way of lengthening dwell time and mopping up surplus floorspace.

But the Restaurant Group’s decision to close almost two dozen units occupied by its Franky & Benny’s and Coast to Coast brands exposes fault lines that have been hidden beneath the surface of the catering sector.

Restaurants have traditionally taken longer leases than retailers, partly because their accountants like to write off the cost of their expensive kitchens and M&E over a long period. But that is at odds with fast-changing consumer habits.

In a saturated market the need to repeatedly refurbish and rebrand restaurants is placing some operators under financial pressure.

So is it too late for centres that are looking to grow their F& B offer? Far from it, there are still new entrants joining the market, but rental terms may be softer than in the past and landlords’ contributions higher.

Graham Parker Editor Shopping Centre

CONTENTS NEWS & ANALYSIS 05 06 07 08 10 12 14

Metro Shopping Fund dissolved C&R lodges Walthamstow application Green light for Riverside Lettings increase in Oxford and Bracknell Pop up stores can boost shopper engagement SCEPTRE Awards shortlists revealed Retail park voids at record low

Page 08

FEATURES 16

22

Marketing – Online marketing experts have to fight hard to capture shoppers’ attention Leisure – Has the supply of restaurant space finally surpassed demand?

REGULARS 30 35

35

Data – Retail facts & figures People – Hyper reality experience launches at Trinity Leeds Moves – all the latest job moves

Page 20

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NEWS

Metro Shopping Fund dissolved Land Securities and Delancey have exited the Metro Shopping fund following completion of the sale of Delancey’s 50 per cent stake in the Southside shopping centre in Wandsworth to Invesco Real Estate for £150m, and the sale of Land Securities’ 50 per cent stake in ShopStop, Clapham Junction to a Delancey client, the DV4investment fund.

Southside provides 630,000 sq ft of prime retail and leisure space in Wandsworth, south west London and is now held by a 50/50 joint venture between Land Securities and Invesco. Land

F&B flourishes at the Forthes at the Fort British Land and Hercules Unit Trust have signed 16 new retail and catering lettings at Glasgow Fort following the completion of the new £12m Leisure Quarter which features four restaurants and a 600-space multi-storey car park.

Superdry is taking 12,000 sq ft, Tessuti is sharing a 10,000-sq ft store with Scotts, Footasylum is taking 5,000 sq ft, Waterstones 3,300 sq ft, Paperchase 2,000 sq ft and Smiggle 1,000 sq ft all on 10-year leases.

JD Sports has doubled its space at the centre to 10,000 sq ft and Mamas & Papas has relocated to a new 5,000-sq ft unit, both on 15year leases.

And in the new Leisure Quarter Gourmet Burger Kitchen has taken 3,000 sq ft and Thaikhun 3,750 sq ft both on 15-year leases.

Café Rouge has taken 3,900 sq ft on a 15-year lease while Yo! Sushi has taken 2,300 sq ft and Pret a Manger 2,500 sq ft both on 20year leases. Nando’s has doubled its space to 4,700 sq ft on a 15year lease while Costa has upsized to 3,500 sq ft on a 10-year lease. www.shopping-centre.co.uk

Securities has taken over the asset management of Southside, while Delancey has taken full asset management responsibility for ShopStop, a 70,000-sq ft mixed-use scheme comprising a range of shops, cafes and bars at the entrance to Clapham Junction station.

Ailish Christian-West, head of shopping centres at Land Securities, said: “The sale of Shopstop follows a strong period of growth. We are delighted to be taking on asset management responsibilities at Southside and welcome Invesco as our new partner.”

Six sign at Meadowhall

British Land has announced six new signings and upsizes totalling over 85,000 sq ft as Meadowhall’s £60m refurbishment moves into its next phase.

Primark is to extend its existing unit into the former BHS store, giving it 21,000 sq ft of extra space to form a 95,500-sq ft flagship store. Sports Direct has leased the remainder of the former BHS unit increasing its presence to 44,000 sq ft. Once these moves have been completed this Autumn, Wilko will move into the 14,500-sq ft former Sports Direct store, opening in early 2018.

Footwear brand Schuh is to open a new 2,850-

sq ft Schuh Kids specialist store and outdoor clothing retailer Timberland is launching a new-look 1,950-sq ft store, both on Meadowhall’s High Street. Second Cup is to open one of its first UK flagship coffee shops in 1,560-sq ft on Meadowhall’s Arcade.

CBRE, Smith Young and Davis Coffer Lyons acted for Meadowhall. Central Retail, Rawstron Johnson and BNP Paribas represented Primark, Sports Direct and Wilko respectively. Harper Dennis Hobbs and CBRE acted for Schuh Kids and Timberland. Space Retail acted for Second Cup. MAY 2017 SHOPPING CENTRE

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NEWS

C&R lodges Walthamstow application Capital & Regional has submitted a planning application for a significant retail extension, residential development and new Town Square at The Mall Walthamstow including an 86,000sq ft retail extension at the shopping centre to

accommodate up to 12 new retailers and five food and beverage operators.

Capital & Regional is also seeking outline planning consent for up to 460 new homes located above The Mall, to be delivered with

a development partner. The plans show the redeveloped Mall within an enhanced two acre Town Square, which includes informal play facilities, sensory gardens, flexible events space and feature landscaping.

Capital & Regional acquired The Mall in 1997.

In 2015 it undertook a full refurbishment of shopping centre and has subsequently secured long-term commitments from national brands including TK Maxx, Sports Direct, The Gym Group and Lidl.

Executive director Ken Ford said: “Following the successful refurbishment of The Mall in 2015, we see huge potential to create an integrated destination comprising an enhanced retail and leisure offer and much needed new homes, all set in a remodelled public square adjacent to Walthamstow transport hub.”xxx

Brands expand £8m Peterborough refurb begins at Brent Cross Following recent upsizes by O2 and Pandora, a further three retailers have taken additional space at Brent Cross, continuing the growing trend for major retailers looking to showcase their full brand offering and create compelling customer experiences in prime retail destinations Global fashion retailer Zara will increase its presence on the Lower Mall, expanding into the adjacent unit to take its floorspace from 13,500 to over 21,500 sq ft. Sportswear specialist JD Sports will more than double its footprint in the centre, moving from a 3,750-sq ft store to an 8,250-sq ft unit in the Upper Mall.

Jeweller Fraser Hart will also extend the size of its store significantly, upsizing to take additional space in two units adjacent to its existing store on the Upper Mall, more than doubling its presence in the centre from 1,400 sq ft to 3,000 sq ft.

In addition, leading fashion brand All Saints is currently fitting out its new store on the Upper Mall, where it will trade alongside complementary fashion-led brands including Anthropologie and Reiss.

SHOPPING CENTRE MAY 2017

Lendlease and Invesco Real Estate have started their refurbishment programme at Queensgate, Peterborough. Designed by multiaward winning architecture studio, Benoy, the extensive changes will include new lighting, doors and redesigned cladding, ceilings and internal finishes, to create a bright, more modern and contemporary look.

To enhance the customer experience, seating areas complementing the design and structure of the centre will be upgraded throughout the scheme. Subject to planning approval, the Cumbergate entrance will also be upgraded to create an improved welcome hall.

Sustainability has been considered throughout the works with the introduction of LED lighting to reduce energy consumption and improve lighting levels. In addition, sustainably sourced and low maintenance materials, including recycled aluminum and timber from FSC credited sources, will be used throughout to build on the award winning environmental initiatives already undertaken within Queensgate.

Workman has been appointed as project manager for the refurbishment and Rolton Group as structural and services consultants.

www.shopping-centre.co.uk

NEWS

Green light for Riverside plan

Rochdale Borough Council has approved plans for Rochdale Riverside, a £70m retail and leisure development that will be delivered jointly by Genr8 Developments and Kajima in partnership with the council.

Demolition works have already been completed and construction works are scheduled to commence by autumn with the scheme set to open for trade in mid-2019.

Phase one of the scheme is in excess of 200,000 sq ft and comprises 24 retail and leisure units ranging from 1,000 sq ft to 20,000 sq ft at ground and mezzanine levels, together with a six-screen Reel cinema and 340 car parking spaces.

Planning approval has also been given in outline for phase two, which will see a further investment into the town centre, with new offices, hotel, apartments and commercial uses.

DPP is the planning advisor on the scheme which has been designed by TP Bennett Architects. Letting agents are Cheetham & Mortimer and Lambert Smith Hampton.

Moorgarth to buy Waverley Mall Moorgarth has exchanged contracts with Catalyst Capital to purchase Waverley Mall shopping centre in Edinburgh. The 85,000-sq ft centre, situated between Edinburgh’s Waverley train station and Princes Street, was acquired by Catalyst in 2013.

Last year it changed its name from Princes Mall and underwent a £4m refurbishment. The investment has helped attract new occupiers including Tiger, Game and Sainsbury’s.

Moorgarth is continuing to grow its portfolio of prime retail assets, including Parkgate shopping centre in Shirley, Birmingham which it bought from Helical and Coltham Developments for £16m last November.

Moorgarth’s Tim Vaughan said Waverley Mall presents appealing asset management opportunities at a time when shopping centre owners are particularly keen to exploit demand from the leisure market. “Given its location in the heart of the city centre, there is real potential to develop both its leisure and retail offer,” he said.

Cushman & Wakefield advised Moorgarth and Lunson Mitchenall acted on behalf of the vendor.

£5m facelift for the Ridings NewRiver REIT has unveiled further details of its £5m facelift for the Ridings centre in Wakefield, due to start in Spring this year and reaching completion around the same time in 2018.

The works will include fully renovated toilets and parent and child facilities; a ‘pop up’ shop space that will provide independent local businesses with a flexible trading space and a new customer service lounge as well as new signage throughout and car park improvements.

The Ridings Kitchen, a new food and drink zone at the Cathedral entrance, will have a large communal seating area with space for 200 covers plus space for hot food outlets and a dessert bar. A high quality indoor market and food hall called All Saints Market will be created on the lower mall.

NewRiver director Paul Wright said: “Since purchasing The Ridings in 2016, we’ve worked www.shopping-centre.co.uk

on a number of strategic development areas aimed at delivering improvements to The

Ridings and adding something unique to Wakefield city centre.”

MAY 2017 SHOPPING CENTRE

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ANALYSIS

OXFORD ENTER T Six months from opening, lettings increase at Westgate Oxford and the Lexicon Bracknell

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and Securities’ and the Crown Estate’s Westgate Oxford Alliance has unveiled 10 new retail and leisure brands as it marks six months until opening day. New international retailers Levi’s, Skechers and Acuitis join domestic brands Cath Kidston, Seasalt Cornwall and Molton Brown London. The F&B mix has been bolstered by Shawa Lebanese Grill, Rola Wala and Benito’s Hat. Anchored by a 140,000-sq ft John Lewis store, the 800,000sq ft Westgate Oxford is expected to draw 15 million shoppers a year with a projected retail spend of over £1bn. Premium and high street brands already signed at Westgate Oxford include Mint Velvet, Smashbox, Gant, Hotel Chocolat, Guess, Michael Kors, Hugo Boss, Ted Baker, COS, & Other Stories, Russell & Bromley and Victoria’s Secret Pink.

The leisure offer includes Curzon Cinemas and Polpo, Cinnamon Kitchen, The Breakfast Club, Sticks’n’Sushi, Pho, and Dirty Bones.

Naomi Howard, leasing director at Land Securities said: “Today marks a significant milestone in our journey to create one of the UK’s largest and most highly anticipated retail and leisure destinations to open this year. In exactly six months, we will open our doors to the public, bringing them a vibrant blend of luxury and high street retail stores to be explored, alongside some of the most exciting food and drink brands the region will have to offer. We are thrilled to announce today’s new signings – who will be joined by more new names in the coming weeks.”

And in Bracknell L’Occitane en Provence, Ernest Jones, Patisserie Valerie and Bill’s Restaurant have signed up for Leagal & General and Schroders’ £240m town centre regeneration scheme that will open in September 2017. The urban regeneration scheme is now 71.2 per cent per cent pre-let by

SHOPPING CENTRE MAY 2017

www.shopping-centre.co.uk

ANALYSIS

D & BRACKNELL THE FINAL LAP centre and complement the impressive line–up of casual dining brands. Bracknell is well on the way to becoming the shopping and leisure destination of choice in Berkshire, when it opens on 7th September 2017.”

The Lexicon Bracknell is being developed by The Bracknell Regeneration Partnership, a 50:50 joint venture between Legal & General Capital and Schroder UK Real Estate Fund, working in partnership with Bracknell Forest Council. Joint agents are CBRE and Lunson Mitchenall.

floor area, with a further 77,709 sq ft in negotiations.

L’Occitane en Provence will take an 893-sq ft unit on The Avenue, near to Marks & Spencer, while Ernest Jones store is to open in a 2,138-sq ft unit on the corner of The Avenue and Braccan Walk. And adding to the catering line-up Patisserie Valerie has signed a lease for a 580-sq ft unit on The Avenue with Bill’s Restaurant taking a 3,454-sq ft unit on Braccan Walk.

Jessica Berney, head of UK retail at Schroder Real Estate, said: “These new signings will boost the new retail in the town

MallVision Digital Wayfinding & Advertising A new dimension in customer engagement & integration Enhance customer experience with affordable and tailor-made units that build long-term relationships with visitors via consistent and relevant communication.

The MallVision system is the forefront of the digital signage network revolution • Custom hardware and software packages, directories, mapping and content service support • A mix of tenant, local and national ad sales driving customer traffic and revenues • Data collection on customer behaviour, traffic flow and footfall • Leasing and monthly payment options available

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www.shoppingmall.technology MAY 2017 SHOPPING CENTRE

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ANALYSIS

Pop-ups top up loyalty Pop up stores can boost shopping centre engagement, writes Coniq CEO Ben Chesser.

With pop up stores already contributing approximately £2.3bn a year to the UK economy, it’s clear that this is a relatively new trend which is here to stay. But what’s the attraction and how can shopping centres and communities ensure that they are maximising the lucrative benefits the stores have to offer?

There are many benefits to hosting pop up stores within a shopping centre or community scheme, not only for the owners and tenants, but also for new and existing customers. For example, pop up stores can drive new, potential customers to the centre that have not previously visited. They can also provide existing customers a reason to revisit and improve the overall shopper experience. Also, they can help inform wider marketing decisions for the overall centre or community.

So how can pop ups benefit shopping centres and how can communities ‘cash in’ on these opportunities?

First, pop-ups can offer increased footfall and insight. Shopper traffic should see a natural uplift around pop up stores, as regular shoppers become intrigued with the new store and merchandise on offer. By introducing a different pop up, centres can try out which type of shops and merchandise are creating peaks in traffic and which have little or no effect.

Linking the pop up to a centre’s overall loyalty and CRM system would help provide key insight into retail performance. This insight can then aid owners with future tenant decisions, helping them to understand which brands will be most lucrative to the overall business and which would be less desirable. It’s also a great way to test the waters in terms of retail spread, giving centres a chance to try a new type of retailer and it’s location without committing to a full blown retail unit. Owners can then consider tenant rates in relation to how potentially successful the store will be due thanks to data provided from the loyalty scheme.

To aid a heightened level of interest and excitement of having a pop up in the centre, marketing should look to target less frequent, opted-in shoppers with a notification of the store opening and then pre-warn when it is due to close. This will add an element of urgency into the communication, which should help to incentivise customers to make the trip to the centre.

These new shoppers need to be engaged from day one. Pop ups often appeal to fresh audiences, who wouldn’t have typically visited the centre or community previously. Once enticed to visit the pop up store, these new customers are prime targets to offer encouragement to join the loyalty scheme. We find that when shoppers are asked if they’d like to register for a loyalty scheme at the point of sale, sign up rates are greatly improved.

This way centres will be able to analyse this new type of shopper SHOPPING CENTRE MAY 2017

behaviour, determining insight such as; interests, most popular brands, average transactional value and visiting frequency. This will present centres will a fuller picture of its shoppers and potentially how they might tap into lucrative new markets that weren’t previously relevant to their initial target audience.

Pop up stores also make for a great excuse for getting in contact with loyalty scheme holders. By offering loyal customers a small perk or reward, linked to the new store, centres will encourage further promotion of the store opening as the customer spreads the word and shares news or experiences with friends and family – or even across social media.

These stores are often linked to seasonal trends or events, for example calendar pop up stores will typically appear in December/ January. This contextual relevancy to shoppers’ daily lives will be much welcomed as today’s consumers are increasingly busy and distracted.

To truly maximise the opportunity that pop up stores present, shopping centres and communities need to invest in a partnership that can be agile around these changes in tenant lists and promotional offers. By working with a third party developer to ensure that pop up stores can be included in marketing efforts to drive greater traffic, owners can then reap the rewards of maintaining satisfied, existing shoppers, enticing new, high value customers and, ultimately, encourage greater conversion rates. www.shopping-centre.co.uk

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ANALYSIS

SCEPTRE shortlist

revealed

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 MAY 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 Derb 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

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ANALYSIS

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MAY 2017 SHOPPING CENTRE

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ANALYSIS

Retail warehouse voids reach

record low Trevor Wood Associates’ research suggests the retail and leisure parks sector is faring well despite economic uncertainty. In the 2017 edition of its Definitive Guide to Retail and Leisure Parks, the retail consultancy reveals continued market growth, falling vacancy rates and appetite among key occupiers for well located second hand units.

Trevor Wood Associates collates detailed

SHOPPING CENTRE MAY 2017

information for every one of the 16,400 retail warehouse units currently trading or under construction. Its 2017 guide shows that despite economic pressures, the total retail warehouse market enjoyed marginal growth in 2016, reaching 187.34m sq ft.

Most encouragingly, the retail warehousing vacancy rate fell to 5.3 per cent, a rate lower than at any time since Trevor Wood’s analysis began at the end of 2001.

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ANALYSIS Although some big name retailers have continued to suffer in 2016, with the likes of Bhs and Netto put into administration or entered into a CVA, the research highlights a strong pool of expanding retailers keen to take second-hand space. Last year, more than 5m sq ft of floorspace was taken by retail park tenants, with 39 of the top 50 non-food tenants increasing their retail park presence. Expanding retailers include the likes of B&M, The Range, Poundland and Home Bargains.

This balance of supply and demand has meant rental levels have remained relatively stable, although a combination of lettings and rent reviews saw the proportion of retail parks with peak rents between £25 per sq ft and £30 per sq ft rise by 15%.

The Definitive Guide to Retail and Leisure Parks also includes a series of league tables.

The top 10 retail parks remained the same as last year, with Middlebrook Retail & Leisure Park in Bolton taking top spot at 646,661 sq ft. The top retail warehouse cluster was Westwood Road in Broadstairs, with a

www.shopping-centre.co.uk

gross area of 1,120,538 sq ft, while the O2 Entertainment District in Greenwich was awarded the title of the top leisure scheme, with 600,000 sq ft gross.

For the twelfth consecutive year, the guide named British Land the leading investment manager of retail parks in the UK. It also retained the title of the leading direct property owner, with IKEA edging past Hammerson into second position.

Wilkinson Williams was ranked the leading retail warehousing letting agent for the seventh year running, while Savills maintained its status as the leading retail warehousing managing agent, with more than 23m sq ft of instructions.

Trevor Wood said: “This analysis shows that the market has remained buoyant over the past year and things look set to improve still further in the coming months, particularly when you consider we have featured 113 schemes thought likely to proceed before 2023 in our development pipeline. This pipeline is greater than at any time since our 2008 review.”

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MARKETING

A CUT ABOVE

Futuristic innovation meets friendly interaction: iWalker takes digital signage to new heights.

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here is no end to the creative, unusual concepts marketing technology companies are cooking up, but sometimes strange equals success, and Scottish media company Nomadix Media’s digital signage platform, iWalker, hopes to stand out from the crowd – or more accurately in this case, above them.

The iWalker, is essentially the spiritual successor to the sandwich board. It features signage and requires a human SHOPPING CENTRE MAY 2017

wearer who can give out additional information to anyone who wants to engage with it. The iWalker is far more evolved than its ancestor, however, and comes with a lot more bells and whistles.

The striking, raised edge-to-edge LED screen, boasts clear HD text and imagery even in the brightest location. Integrated stereo gives it crisp audio quality, with fingertip controls for volume and muting. It is also completely wireless and customisable, able to display any content

you want at the touch of a button. The idea is to combine human customer service with new technology and make it portable, profitable and fun.

“It’s built to bridge the widening gap between tech savvy users and more traditional, face-to-face forms of shopper engagement,” says Mark Evans, CEO and founder of Nomadix Media. “It’s a source of additional revenue, and it’s a technology whose patent belongs to us.

We think it’ll add to the experience. It will www.shopping-centre.co.uk

MARKETING work well in huge complexes, as a point of entertainment and intrigue, and it can deliver messages and adverts around the shopping centre.”

The iWalker will have ten second rotational slots, and the consumer engagement is tracked with its built in facial feature technology which recognises when someone is looking at the screen. This data is recorded and can be overlaid with shopping centre footfall data to determine hotspots – where is busy, at what times, and among which consumer groups. iWalkers can then be positioned at these locations at the most effective times.

“We are aiming to be the first ‘pay per eye’ automated Digital out of Home network in the world where customers only pay for who views the content,” says Evans. “It can also be used for a variety of things and can be updated and controlled in real time so if, for example, there is a management broadcast or an incident of a missing child or security threat, we can get this on the screens as quickly as possible and circulate the information around the centre.”

The new iWalker also offers unique interactive ‘bridging capability’ to allow instant connectivity with iWalker screen content via shoppers mobile phones, driving instant rewards and promotions, redeemable both online or in-store. It can work with the centre and retailers by giving out voucher codes and displaying offers and driving brand loyalty.

The tech company reached a deal with Hammerson, which will pioneer at Silverburn in Glasgow, called Halo. Halo incorporates teams who will literally carry out the tech and create a roaming digital landscape at the centre.

“We’re expecting the product to launch around the tail end of summer,” says Evans. “The prototype is currently being manufactured and Halo should roll out at the end of summer at Silverburn, before spreading across the UK and beyond.

We’re aiming for a fully roaming platform with as wide and as targeted a reach as possible.” www.shopping-centre.co.uk

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MARKETING

C NTENT IS KEY Consumers spend hours in front of a screen every single day, so how can shopping centres infiltrate the feeds of their clientele? Online marketing experts have come up with a range of approaches to tackling online.

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he key principle behind online marketing is engagement, and as with any form of marketing, in order to be successful, you must have a strategy. It is about generating content that people will connect with rather than quickly scrolling past. Consumers consume at an alarming rate, and are adept at glazing over anything that doesn’t immediately capture their interest. So how do you get their attention?

First off, you need to know how online campaigns become successful, and being interesting and original certainly pays off, says Daniel Nolan, managing director at digital marketing agency theEword.

“When it comes to social media,” he explains, “Facebook’s algorithm, for example, is massively weighted in favour of content that is not only new, but is also proving popular.

Facebook has become so clever that it recognises whether a link or an uploaded video has been uploaded by another account. If you get there first, you will be favoured. What’s more, if the platform notices that your post is getting a lot of attention, this will mean it jumps the queue and is then shown to even more people. Facebook knows it’s a hit.”

Advertising on social media has the added benefit of being able to target your desired audience. For example, you may have launched a new food hall in a shopping centre that you want to raise awareness of, and reaching the proximal audience

SHOPPING CENTRE MAY 2017

is imperative. “You could run a targeted Facebook or Twitter advert that will only be seen by users who are interested in food – or even certain kinds of food – and are located within a five-mile radius,” he says.

But what is more important for an effective advert – words or images? The answer, he says, is both. “You can have the greatest copy in the world, but if it isn’t eye-catching, the average consumer will overlook it,” he explains. “At the same time, captivating imagery may well be a hook, but you need to follow that up with strong copy and a call-to-action that helps sell your story.”

VIDEO CONTENT Almost 80 per cent of people watch videos online every week, making video an integral part of modern marketing – whether that’s on your website, your email marketing or your social media channels.

“Consumers’ attention spans are dwindling,” Nolan says.

“Marketers need to make sure their content is short and sweet, while remaining as visual and interactive as possible. For maximum impact, aim to create videos that are no longer than a minute – if you have a lot you need to say, consider spreading your message across a series of short videos.

Nolan also advises that any video content should include subtitles. “It’s estimated that around 50 per cent of videos watched via Facebook are watched in silence, so make sure the user knows what you’re saying without having to reach for the earphones,” he says.

But how just how much are people engaging with videobased content? Helen Maguire, international strategist at marketing agency Toolbox Group, which also champions video content, says that the proof is in the numbers. “Google loves video - you're 53 times more likely to show up on Google first if you have video embedded on your home page,” she says.

And she says that is doesn't even have to be professional.

“It’s easier and more cost effective to create engaging video content using today's better smartphone technology and easy video editing software. It has definitely worked for digital marketing channels we manage for shopping centres across Europe, and we're seeing increases in engagement of up to 150 per cent thanks to video content.” 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

20

MARKETING

GOING LOCAL

A shopping centre is as much a social place as it is a commercial one, and being an integral part of the local community is more important than ever.

“

Community is all about being social,” says Helen Maguire, international strategist at marketing agency Toolbox Group.

“It’s the social need to be with other people, whether that's for leisure, or for a specific need, or for a sense of belonging. All of these are stronger at driving loyalty to a place than any other tools retail destinations have at their fingertips.”

Shopping centres have the built-in quality of one of the most frequented places in any town or city. The role of the shopping centre has shifted significantly from traditional retail to experience. They are places for local communities to get together, socialise, be entertained and, of course, shop. This shift is refuelling the possibility to turn malls into community hubs, and managers need to work to capture that opportunity as Kieron Weedon, director of strategy at BWP Group, suggests that many centres have become lazy.

“Engaging with the local community is too often viewed simply as a case of selecting the right media channels, the right charities and then throwing in some social media and a few seasonal events,” he explains. “An approach that starts with insight built from a deeper understanding of your offer and your audience will build far more fulfilling, long-term and profitable relationships.”

SHOPPING CENTRE MAY 2017

Weedon says that it is important to know who your shoppers are and personalise your offer to them on an individual level, and advises segmenting them into specific groups order to understand how they work. “Customer segments will form the backbone of customer journey mapping,” he says. “How do these segments engage with you? How did they find out about you, what triggered them to visit, do they engage online or via social platforms?

“Armed with clear segments, motivators and journeys, shopping centres can create communications plans that carry the right message at the right time in the right context for select communities,” he elaborates. “Your communities want to see you provide something that not only benefits them and the local community, but that they believe you have bought in to and committed to.”

Marketing agency Shoppertainment says that community engagement works best where it is an ongoing process.

Nurturing community relationships, it says, remains an important tactic for revenue generating marketing and commercialisation campaigns. As a centre supports a community, so in turn will the community support a centre.

Successfully working with the community also is a mutually www.shopping-centre.co.uk

MARKETING

5 THOUGHTS

from Lisa Henderson, the new Marketing Manager at Manchester Arndale EXPERIENCE I come from a brand and retail focused background, where I worked in marketing and PR for over ten years. I worked on customising events which I think will be a huge help in my new role.

WHAT FIRST? I’m taking the time to get to know our retailers and understand things from their side. I want to understand what it is that our customers want and use all our market research and insight and tailor our strategy to our customers. It’s about answering the question ‘how do we engage our shoppers?’

ONLINE STRATEGY Online and video marketing is one of the most important things for us. Our biggest shopper population is the 16-34 millennial generation who are all hyper connected and live in a digital world. We actually see twice as much engagement with video content as we do with static imagery so obviously video is an important tool for us to utilise.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT We have a large extended community and we work closely with the city council, Manchester Bid, and the Greater Manchester Police. We also have a student population of around 100,000 who are some of our most important shoppers and we really work to connect with them and welcome them to the city.

FINAL THOUGHT The Shopping Centre role is new to me and it’s actually a really exciting industry to be coming into. I think that how people would see it traditionally is different to the role that its coming into as a destination and a social hub. beneficial exercise as the centre can create or raise their profile; create additional footfall and increase occupier engagement.

Shoppers in turn are likely to have a memorable experience and a feeling of fulfilment from shopping at that destination.

In Scotland, 2017 is the year of History, Heritage and Archaeology.

Shoppertainment recently worked on a campaign at Waverley Mall, Edinburgh, to deliver a ‘Time Trail’ activation in partnership with Dig It. Through the partnership, the company also formed a connection with a number of notable historic organisations.

The aim of the event was to educate children from the surrounding community about the nation’s cultural heritage. www.shopping-centre.co.uk

Re-enactment group Medieval Realm, charity Archaeology Scotland and the Edinburgh Unit of Forensic Anthropology from Edinburgh University were involved to bring different elements to the event.

Various stations were set up across Waverley Mall that explored different snapshots of time including excavation pits, 3D printed Egyptian artefacts and a chance to have photos taken in armour and a set of stocks. Each station provided children with a sticker, which when all were collected, led to a reputable ‘Heritage Hero Award’ certificate.

Clare Andrew, managing director at Shoppertainment, believes that the local population are the most popular demographic to appeal to when it comes to organising an event. “Community engagement incorporates so many elements such as councils, town centre initiatives and charities that can further strengthen what a shopping centre can offer its shoppers,” she says. “It’s all about understanding the local community and knowing what will benefit the shoppers. It’s also about a shared vision that will benefit the community as a whole and shopping centres are the perfect venue for events as they can hold large crowds and are also somewhere people are in a familiar environment.”

Community engagement events can allow a centre to become part of greater initiatives and national conversations, which can be used as a platform to better promote themselves.

They can also put shoppers in touch with groups, organisations and services that can widen their horizons and help make dayto-day life easier.

“The shopping world is transforming from being local - to global - back to local again,” says Helen Maguire. “High streets and their shops used to be the place where people heard the latest gossip, supported their local shop keepers and economy, or found out about that was going on in the community. What many shopping centres fail to realise is the potential from recreating that today, not just physically but across all channels including social media. It’s an essential strategy and even for larger destinations creating a sense of internal community goes a long way to creating a personality for the place and a more engaging brand” MAY 2017 SHOPPING CENTRE

21

22

FOOD & BEVERAGE

THE PEAK OF F&B? The scramble to provide an attractive food and beverage offer has come to fruition – but has the supply finally surpassed the demand?

T

he past three years have seen a dramatic increase of F&B in shopping centres up and down the country. Many brands have been growing additional limbs to put their finger in as many pies as possible as centres attempt to define themselves as a destination for shoppers. The consumer response has been positive, but is this reflected in the numbers?

Savills’ 2017 Q1 UK Commercial Leisure report show that the F&B sector has been resilient in the last three years with streams of new and existing brands rolling out large expansion plans across the country and driving rental growth in the most in-demand locations. The report also shows, however, that the cracks are beginning to show in some of the larger groups, with increased pressures on their margins due to rising import costs, staff costs and business rates.

“We expect that the remainder of 2017 will be a period when the large mid-market chains are less acquisitive than they have been in recent years,” says Mat Oakley, Savills’ head of European Commercial Research. “However, the smaller casual dining groups such as Five Guys, Wahaca and Turtle Bay are expected SHOPPING CENTRE MAY 2017

to continue to add locations. The impact of this will be most felt in secondary markets, where leasing is more reliant on the 'stalwarts' of the F&B market and a more limited pool of target operators.”

Oakley also says that the continuing growth of food-led A4 operators poses another challenge to the mid-market, with groups including Living Ventures, Brewhouse & Kitchen and Be At One continuing to expand across the UK. “While some new premium brands have experienced tough trading as they have pushed outside London and the South East, there is still a steady stream of new entrants to the UK market, particularly in the more mainstream price bands,” he says. “This year will see more interest in the UK from US brands, with Chick-fil-A, Tim Hortons and P.F. Chang's all currently looking at expansion beyond their home market.”

Mark Simms, head of shopping centre agency at Savills, adds that more than anything else it is about getting the offer right. “While their influence on shopper behaviour varies geographically,” he says, “in many cases the F&B offer is a www.shopping-centre.co.uk

FOOD & BEVERAGE significant factor in determining where consumers choose to shop and frequency of visits, as well as having a positive effect on dwell time. In turn, this creates the opportunity for landlords and retailers to convert at least some of that into retail spend.”

Further research from Savills shows the less frequently a consumer shops, the more likely they are to visit a F&B operator on a shopping excursion. An average of 73.2 per cent of consumers who shop every two weeks visit a food outlet.

That number drops to just 31.9 per cent for those who shop at least once a week. So what can centres do to improve these numbers and make a food stop on a shopping trip essential?

“The dine-in market is definitely growing,” says Sarah Fox, head of restaurants and leisure at Hammerson. “People still want choice when it comes to eating out, they want to spend their money on something worthwhile and having a variety gives them that.”

She says that food and beverage will continue to expand and it is being driven by two groups of people. First are the 55+ group, who are retired or whose children have left home and are looking to go out for the evening and are eating out more because there is more on offer.

Then there is the 18-35 group who are more used to going out to eat and are looking for that something different, which is slowly driving the market to change. “A lot of this demographic are living at home but have different eating patterns and meal occasions to their parents plus more disposable income, so they’re eating out more than their parents did,” Fox explains.

“We’re seeing most growth in breakfast and lunch meal occasions, because they are generally cheaper than eating out for dinner. People are still going to restaurants for evening meals. They may be doing it less often, but when they do they tend to spend more money. It’s the move towards premiumisation and people going out for special occasions that’s really driving the market.”

Premiumisation is a growing factor for the F&B industry as many consumers are looking for a new, quality experience rather than the same old chains again and again. But loyalty should never be overlooked as well-established brands see continued success.

“We’ve found that the operators who are offering something a little different are performing really well,” says Sue Shepherd, centre manager at Quintain’s London Designer Outlet in Wembley. “That being said, you’ve got your staple offers like Pizza Express, Frankie and Benny’s – establish brands who attract a loyal clientele. They are well known brands and their offering is consistent.”

And Shepherd believes that it is not a competition. “The nice thing,” she says, “is that it’s not about new brands taking customers away from old brands, it’s about attracting more people to the outlet by giving them a better variety of places to eat.”

Some brands are about creating a new meal occasion for shoppers, with increasing popularity in the dessert brand www.shopping-centre.co.uk

market. Premiumisation is being seen here too as the ice-cream experience become a more formal affair.

“We’ve seen [dessert brands] becoming hugely popular, especially among younger shoppers,” says Shepherd. “At LDO we’ve got two: Treatz, which is an ice cream parlour, and Shaketastic. It’s good for children and teenagers coming out after school who want a treat, where they can come in and get a sundae and it’s all table service.”

As eating out grows, it has the potential to have a knock-on effect on consumer spend elsewhere, but Shepherd assures that this is not an issue. “People are going to spend money,” she says. “If they want to eat they’ll eat, if they want to experience something, they’ll buy a ticket, and if they want to shop they’ll shop. And a lot of the time the latter necessitates the former.

We find that people tend to make a night of it if they’re going to an event or the cinema. They’ll need to get food because it’s the time of day, and it doesn’t have to be a lavish meal – even just a sandwich or a couple of drinks.”

Consumers are certainly looking to treat themselves more and more. But restaurants are not unchallenged, with home delivery services becoming increasingly popular, bringing the fundamental part of F&B direct to your door. But can this ever replace the dining out experience?

“The F&B market is going to continue to evolve and grow,” says Sarah Fox. “It’s something that you can’t download from a computer, and even the likes of Deliveroo, which is admittedly a disrupter, don’t give you that same social experience that you get when you go to a coffee shop or a restaurant. They might be in growth, but it’s not something that can physically replace the experience of dining out. People will continue to want to go out and socialise with friends and family, and there really is no substitute.”

MAY 2017 SHOPPING CENTRE

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FOOD & BEVERAGE

A

FITTING

N U F

successful shopping centre is regularly defined by its footfall and dwell time statistics, and with the rise and rise of online shopping, it’s never been more important to get those vital numbers up. The key is offering something that online cannot replicate: experience. The UK’s leisure stalwarts – cinemas and bowling alleys – have both seen healthy expansion in recent years, alongside increasingly popular offerings for the more active person such as gyms and trampoline parks. But many prominent centres are struggling to capitalise on growing trends by lacking one fundamental quality.

“The challenge is that many of these concepts are physical and need a significant amount of space which a lot of centres, especially ones in big cities, simply don’t have,” says Sarah Fox, head of restaurants and leisure at Hammerson. “Things like trampoline parks and climbing walls are growing, but their ability to expand in retail locations is limited, especially if operating space is cheaper elsewhere.”

This is not to say, however, that limited availability of space is an impenetrable barrier when it comes to providing a leisure attraction for shoppers. It is a matter of keeping track of popular trends and sometimes thinking outside the box to find concepts that can inside the box.

A panoramic view from Cushman & Wakefield of the UK’s cinema market shows a continual rise, with 144 new cinemas to be built over the next five years. While the big three operators – Cineworld, Vue and Odeon – are developing almost a third (32 per cent) of new builds, a new generation of challenger brands, such as Savoy, Everyman and The Light, along with a string of small independents, are sweeping the country.

“If all new developments currently being considered are built, this will deliver a 30 per cent increase in the number of UK ‘commercial’ cinemas, the largest growth rate ever seen, and an average of eight screens per 100,000 people in the UK – a number which might see over-saturation in some markets but which will still remain lower than the USA, France and Australia,” Thomas Rose, head of leisure and restaurants at Cushman & Wakefield explains.

The briefing report shows that only 17 per cent of the new builds will be in out-of-town locations. It attributes this in many cases to landlords seeking to re-anchor their shopping centres by installing a new cinema the very heart of their scheme.

“Increasing numbers of film-goers are rejecting travelling longer distances out of town and want to make a visit to the cinema part of a wider town-centre experience, such as going to restaurants and bars, or heading to the cinema straight after work,” says Rose.

With regards to the threat of at-home streaming services SHOPPING CENTRE MAY 2017

Experience has become an integral part of the shopping trip, but with a finite amount of space on offer in prime locations, how are centres stepping up and grabbing that destination status?

Iain Hoey reports. such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, Rose is confident consumers will continue to seek the escapism the big screen brings. “We do not think this will have a major impact on cinemas in the near future although operators will need to continually improve, adapt and invest to keep ahead of the internet generation,” he says.

Bowling has long been a staple leisure fixture in the UK, and Hollywood Bowl currently has plans to grow what it calls “prime” sites by two per year up to 2020, targeting high-footfall areas such as shopping centres rather than out-of-town sites.

Last month, intu Derby opened a Hollywood bowl at its leisure extension and both intu Watford and intu Lakeside are due to launch the operator next year.

Also in growth, according to Savills’ 2017 Q1 UK Commercial Leisure report, the Health and Fitness sector is blossoming, with budget chains expected to continue their nationwide expansion. The dramatic growth of Pure Gym, which has grown to become the UK's largest operator since it was founded in 2009, indicates just how popular the budget fitness market has become.

The strongest growth in occupational demand, according to Savills, comes from the boutique fitness sector, particularly in London and other affluent locations. The model for many of www.shopping-centre.co.uk

FOOD & BEVERAGE

G IN

N

the new operators in this part of the market such as Barry's Bootcamp, F45 and Psycle is pay-as-you-go and class-led, and requirements are as small as a 3,000-sq ft space.

Over the last few years, trampoline parks have experienced rapid growth, proving particularly popular among younger age groups.

Trampolining equipment manufacturer, Continental, estimates that there are now more than 150 parks in the UK – a dramatic rise in a relatively short period, which is expected to be reaching its plateau.

“We believe that growth in trampolining openings will slow off in 2017,” says Mat Oakley, head of Savills European Commercial Research. “There will start to be some consolidation amongst operators. This will take some of the heat off rents, which currently range from £8–£20 per sq ft dependant on location.”

Other findings from the Savills report show that ‘competitive socialising’ and e-sports are two leisure offers that are seeing a notable rise. The former segment is pitching itself as the successor to traditional games in pubs, combining activities with eating and drinking. Operators are targeting basements in urban areas and the rents being paid by these operators are well ahead of more traditional users of this kind of space.

'E-sports', a term which covers both participating and watching competitive online games, has been boosted by the recent fall in prices of sought-after virtual reality hardware.

“The potential growth for this sector is significant, with 43 million people watching the 2016 League of Legends World Championship online,” Oakley elaborates. “However, e-sports can easily be watched from home, so the impact of its growth could as easily be negative as positive for the leisure property sector.” www.shopping-centre.co.uk

There are any number of possibilities when it comes to leisure experiences in shopping centres, it is a case of filling the space in a commercially viable way. Landlords should keep a close eye on the landscape and pay attention to the leisure experiences that are doing well elsewhere and snap up any opportunities that would make a good fit for their centre. They should also, however, constantly review their leisure offering to discern which concepts are flash in the pan and which might become a reliable footfall driver.

“VR is the buzzword right now, and I can see why, children get something out of it and it’s definitely an exciting concept being able to create worlds that don’t actually exist,” says Sarah Fox. “But then when you look at the likes of 3D, which did really well after a big push like Avatar but has since all but disappeared, there’s no way of knowing if it will have longevity.

“I’d say that it would at least work in a pop-up offer, it’s the kind of thing that you might want to try out for twenty minutes, and that kind of thing works for us as a business. If we can create pop-up experience and commercialise them on a shortterm basis, it will continue to interest and engage people, it’s just a case of keeping the offer fresh and giving you something different every time you visit the centre,” she concludes.

MAY 2017 SHOPPING CENTRE

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FOOD & BEVERAGE

PLAYING SAFE

With an average of 100 claims a year involving injury to children at commercial properties, NFU mutual reminds businesses to review their leisure offerings.

C

hildren are often the main focus of leisure in malls, from kiddie rides and play areas to high flying trampolines. Each activity comes with its own risks, some more significant than others, and so landlords should make sure their health and safety standards are up to scratch to ensure children have a safe, pleasurable experience.

Analysis from NFU mutual, the specialist commercial insurer, shows that the most prevalent claims involving children are broken bones or cuts from falls, from apparatus such as climbing frames, slides, trampolines, bouncy castles, monkey bars and rides. The company reports an average of 100 claims each year – almost two per week – involving injury to children at commercial properties, with the potential for hundreds more minor injuries going unreported.

Frank Woods, retail sector specialist at NFU Mutual, says that the potential harm to a business at fault for an injured child can seriously damage its reputation, as well as incurring a claim for compensation alongside the upset of the

situation.

“Smaller businesses may not be as well-equipped in staffing, training or health and safety practices as bigger visitor attractions to ensure the safety of children’s equipment, but steps can be taken to help reduce needless harm,” Woods advises.

“A professional play inspector should carry out full routine inspections and provide their report, but simple steps such as conducting daily maintenance on play areas by checking for foreign objects, damage or vandalism could also save a child from hurting themselves.

Recording evidence of checks is also essential for any business to use in the event of a claim against them. Of course, parents also have a duty to keep watch of their children.”

And it’s not just injuries that businesses should consider, but also the potential damage to private property. “We’ve even seen cases of boards and gazebo’s taking flight and damaging guests' cars, so great care and thought needs to be taken into account when prepping and mitigating risk for any event,” says Woods.

NFU MUTUAL’S TIPS FOR BUSINESSES TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE THIS SUMMER • Survey the public areas of the premises with a “child’s eye” and make sure “staff only” areas are secured / well-signposted, Winter maintenance tasks are completed or made safe and maintenance equipment put away.

• Check all public areas for obvious slip or trip hazards, e.g. moss and uneven paving; check any outdoor furniture as it is put out for the season ahead.

• Check that any safety information signs are still present and clear, e.g. “parents must supervise their children in this area”.

• Make sure play equipment is properly maintained and inspected – there are professional play inspectors available through the Register of Play Inspectors International.

• If external providers are being used to help attract families, e.g. inflatable bouncy castle provider, undertake suitable checks to verify their credibility and request copies of relevant documentation, e.g. insurance and play inflatable inspection certificates.

• Brief the staff on the need to be vigilant for children running around during food and drinks service, to pay particular attention to items which are damaged or faulty and not to be afraid to intervene if a child’s behaviour is either unsafe or spoiling other people’s enjoyment, particularly in play areas.

• It may be a useful time to check first aid provision within the company both in terms of first aid kits and trained staff.

• Carefully consider any particular activities being organised for children and families, e.g. outdoor activities, and put sensible precautions in place.

SHOPPING CENTRE MAY 2017

www.shopping-centre.co.uk

30

DATA

Malls extend across Europe Extensions to existing shopping centres is driving development activity across Europe according to new research from Cushman & Wakefield, with 50m sq ft of new space expected in 2017 and a further 25m sq ft due in 2018.

Paris, Marseille, Helsinki, Madrid and London have strongest pipelines in Western Europe while Istanbul, Moscow, Ankara, Warsaw and Tallinn lead way in Central and Eastern Europe.

In the UK, Cushman & Wakefield predicts Brexit, rising inflation, limited wage growth and relatively high household debt will weigh on consumer confidence and retail sales growth in the short term, although the development pipeline for 2017-18 is still strong, reflecting earlier commitments by developers.

A total of 4.7m sq ft of new space

is currently under construction in the UK and due to be delivered in 2017-18. This is the second strongest development pipeline in this period after France. Beyond 2017-18, the UK development pipeline will be helped by supportive measures from local authorities, which are becoming more proactive and enabling the development of new shopping centres, including the acquisition of assets.

Justin Taylor, Cushman & Wakefield’s head of EMEA retail, said: “Shopping centre owners are responding to shoppers’ wishes to augment their physical shopping experience with a social or leisure experience. Development activity is increasingly focusing on new formats with a strong food and beverage presence as well as leisure

and entertainment operators to increase footfall, dwell time and spend. Many occupiers are likely to use and fit-out space in the future in a different way.

Customers will be attracted to brands where the internal physical environment offers the opportunity to meet, shop, work, rest and play.

“Extensions to established centres will account for around a quarter of new space and there is good logic behind that.

The planning process is shorter, they have existing public transport solutions and a ready-made customer base to tap into – all of which reduces risk. As schemes get larger they can also attract more visitors and become regional destinations in their own right, which can bring additional benefits to the host city or town as well as the wider region.”

Independent trader profile - Furniture4u

In May 2012 Tom O’Neill already had 12 years furniture industry experience under his belt and Louis Rose had just completed his Business Management degree at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. With minimal overheads and just a handful of sofas, they set up a website and booked their first promotion at The Whitgift Centre, Croydon - and Furniture4u, the online SHOPPING CENTRE MAY 2017

sofa retailer was launched.

Rose explained: “It was always our business model to keep overheads to a minimum and focus what funds we had on producing quality products at affordable prices. Tom and I design all our sofas ourselves; everything from the shape and the fabric, down to the legs. Now when our customers talk to us about the designs that inspire them, we take this feedback

and apply this to our ongoing design process. We have warehouses in Dartford, Essex and Birmingham, where we hold stock, so we can offer a fast delivery service to anywhere in the UK, all for the same price.”

Five years down the line and the brand now has a team of managers, a delivery team, office admin staff and an ever growing sales team. So what does Tom O’Neill put this success down to?

“Mall promotions work so well for us, because it gives prospective customers the chance to come and touch and feel the quality of our furniture without the overheads of a retail unit,” he explained.

“We started working with Space to trade back in 2015, when we booked our first promotion at The Priory in Dartford. We now book around 500 mall promotions a year in various centres around the country.

Later this year we’re also looking to expand our reach with mall promotions further in the north of England and Scotland.” www.shopping-centre.co.uk

DATA

31

France and Austria scoop ICSC Awards Two markets dominated ICSC’s 42nd European Shopping Centre Awards

The International Council of Shopping Centers selected four schemes as winners of its annual European Shopping Centre Awards. The 42nd annual awards dinner, this year held at the Hilton Warsaw hotel and convention centre in Warsaw, Poland, saw awards given to: • New Developments – Small: Promenade Sainte-Catherine in Bordeaux, France • New Developments – Medium/large: Polygone Riviera in Cagnes sur Mer, France • Established Centres: Europark Salzburg in Salzburg, Austria • Regeneration Award – Small: Weberzeile in Ried im Innkreis, Austria.

In addition commendations went to: • New Developments – Medium/large (Commendation): Forum Lviv in Lviv, Ukraine • Refurbishment/Expansions – Medium (Commendation): Gelderlandplein in Amsterdam, Netherlands • Refurbishment/Expansions – Large/Extra large (Commendation): Aleja Bielany in Kobierzyce, Poland The ICSC jury members sought to honour shopping centres that have set a new standard of excellence in the European marketplace and have had an influence on the global perspective of retail destinations.

01617 767000 info.natur.uk@saica.com

01617 767000 info.natur.uk@saica.com 01617 767000

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MAY 2017 SHOPPING CENTRE

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0161 633 2298

www.swarco.com

www.coinfactory.co.uk HEALTH & SAFETY

CHRISTMAS SERVICES

Decx

Shorguard

01773 835552

01959 571 788

www.decx.co.uk

www.shorguard.co.uk LEISURE VENDING

www.shopping-centre.co.uk

Fizzco Projects

Clearhill

01427 666029

02840 622028

www.fizzcoprojects.co.uk

www.clearhill.com

MAY 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

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PRODUCTS & SERVICES MANAGEMENT SERVICES

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

MARKETING

www.shoppertainmentmanagement.co.uk

alunc@excelparking.co.uk 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

Excel Parking

Inkspot WiďŹ

0114 261 7111

0131 556 4034

alunc@excelparking.co.uk

www.inkspotwifi.co.uk SIGNAGE

PARKING

G24

Sign Options

0870 0427215

01254 695550

www.g24.co.uk

www.signoptions.co.uk

Scheidt & Bachmann UK Ltd 01372 230 400 www.scheidt-bachmann.com

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 MAY 2017

www.shopping-centre.co.uk

PEOPLE / MOVES

Hyper reality experience launches at Trinity Leeds

Land Securities’ Trinity Leeds has become the first UK shopping centre to provide its customers with a virtual reality-powered hyper reality experience with the launch of Tick Tock Unlock. The immersive virtual reality experience will occupy a new 665-sq ft unit on the centre’s first floor adjacent to River Island.

Developed by former JP Morgan executive Ali Khan, Tick Tock Unlock combines video game, virtual reality, real-world and theatrical production. The six immersive storylines allow players to experience a free-roaming,

This month’s moves . . .

live action challenge that has to be physically completed, but takes place in the playground of a virtual world.

Rob Jewell, portfolio director at Land Securities said: “Signing Tick Tock Unlock is more than extending Trinity’s well-established leisure, entertainment and innovation offer, it’s adding a new dimension for Leeds and the whole of the UK that has never existed in a shopping centre environment before.

Trinity Leeds is fulfilling Land Securities’ commitment to providing our customers with leading brands, latest technology and truly unforgettable experiences.”

Securities, Waitrose, Tapi and Wilko’s.

LISA HENDERSON has been appointed head of marketing at JOHN O’SHEA has been appointed by LGIM MANCHESTER ARNDALE, bringing REAL ASSETS as the new centre manager more than 10 years of experience in of The Grafton, Cambridge. He joins from Grand Arcade Cambridge, where he has been marketing and PR. Most recently, she worked as consumer experience marketing manager for general manager for the past six years.

EMEA at American footwear company, UGG. HARPER DENNIS HOBBS has launched an out DERWENT GROUP has appointed RUSSELL of town retail and leisure department with HALL as general manager the appointment of PETER SCHAVERIEN to appointed for the new £100m work on agency and investment Liverpool shopping park. He as a director. He joins from joins from the Grafton Centre Harvey Spack Field where clients included Aviva, British Land, Land in Cambridge, where he managed the early www.shopping-centre.co.uk

Omani mall brings a flavour of London

They say imitation’s the sincerest form of flattery, and if so the Westfield London team can feel extremely flattered after a London-loving Sheikh decided to build a £127m replica of his favourite mall in the Middle East Sheikh Fahad Abdullah Al Araimi of Oman and his family regularly travel from their Knightsbridge residence to Shepherd’s Bush and Westfield – their favourite place to shop and spend their leisure time in London. Now the Sheikh is going to build a mini-replica of Shepherd’s Bush in Oman – complete with Westfield mall, roads, English style landscaping, water features, fountains and roads.

Known as Al Araimi Boulevard this mini replica of Shepherd’s Bush have a built area of 1.6m sq ft and the centrepiece – the new 800,000-sq ft shopping mall – will house the biggest food court and the largest glass atrium in Oman.

Construction has begun with completion expected by September 2018.

stages of an £18.5m refurbishment.

GCW has launched a dedicated division to focus on a range of alternative sectors. Led by director SIMON HORNER and associate director TIM ASHE, the team will serve specialist operators such as gyms, drive thru’s, hotels, children’s nurseries and care homes.

CAPITAL & REGIONAL has announced that executive director KEN FORD is to step down from the board on 9 May 2017 at the time of the AGM. He will remain with C&R on a fulltime basis until 31 December 2017, at which point it is expected he will become an advisor to the company.

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