THE RETAIL MAGAZINE FROM LAND SECURITIES | WINTER 2008
TOP OF THE GLASS Art and design combine to wow the crowds of Bristol Set for the storm Cult figure Waste not want not
Contents
Alma Media International Rayner’s Court, 737 Garratt Lane London SW17 0PD T +44 (0)20 8944 1155 / www.almamedia.co.uk Editor Dominic Bliss Publisher Tony Richardson / tony@almamedia.co.uk Design Deep / www.deep.co.uk Images Land Securities, House of Fraser, Oasis, Getty, Fat Face, Fopp, HMV, Citizens of Humanity, Levi’s, Republic, Marks and Spencer, A-Wear, Topman, New Look, Miss Selfridge, Karen Millen, Pickles & Potter, John Lewis, Cult, Superdry, River Island, Next, TK Maxx, Frankie & Benny’s, Paul Smith, Hackett, The White Company, Loch Fyne Restaurants. For Land Securities Tom Foulkes Tom.Foulkes@landsecurities.com T +44 (0)20 7024 5089 Claire Reynolds Claire.Reynolds@landsecurities.com T +44 (0)20 7747 2390 © Alma Media International Ltd 2008 All material is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of Alma Media International is strictly forbidden. The greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine at the time of going to press, but we accept no responsibility for omissions or errors. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Alma Media International or Land Securities.
Despite the economic slowdown, there are some real bright spots in retail property, and more specifically in Land Securities’ retail portfolio. Just look at Cabot Circus in Bristol, for example, or Trinity Leeds, St David’s 2 in Cardiff, and The Elements in Livingston. In this issue we visit some of our current developments and centres to get a more detailed look at their architecture, planning and construction, as well as our environmental and customer care activities. Since our last issue, the £500 million Cabot Circus opened and, within 11 days, had been visited by more than one million people. It has created more than 4,000 local jobs. Later in this magazine you will meet some of the vibrant young retailers such as A-Wear and Cult who are investing with style to make their stores unmissable destinations and thriving sales points at this new retail hub. I really believe this combination of sound investment, good design, attention to detail and dynamic retailing all puts retail property in good shape for the long term. Enjoy the issue.
04
News Recent news, key openings, events and awards.
06
Bites News and snippets from the world of retail.
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Latest lettings The very latest retailers signed up to Land Securities developments.
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Hot Shop: Irish eyes Our new feature profiles an exciting retailer or brand looking to make a splash in the UK. First up, Irish fashion independent, A-Wear.
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15 RICHARD AKERS, MANAGING DIRECTOR, RETAIL
Dream team Trinity Leeds is a development in a hurry. Hear from the two industry legends who have teamed up to ensure another successful retail project. The work-shop balance A Land Securities employee reveals how her daily working and shopping habits intermingle.
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Set for the storm Retail Managing Director, Richard Akers, is confident Land Securities’ portfolio has the quality to withstand the imminent recession.
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Braving the Elements The Elements in Livingston has just welcomed its first customers to Scotland’s new retail heart. We were there on opening day.
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Saint comes marching in Cardiff’s St David’s 2 development is bringing a new lease of life to the city’s retail offer – and some fantastic places for lunch, too.
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Drawing crowds Getting the retail mix right is no longer quite enough. At Westwood Cross in Kent the locals have restaurant, entertainment and leisure outlets to satisfy their needs 24/7.
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Cult figure Teen fashion emporium Cult has set a new standard in store design with its latest opening.
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Waste not, want not Taking responsibility for the environmental impact of our shopping centres is a key commitment at Portsmouth’s Gunwharf Quays.
My favourite retailer Land Securities has teamed up with Sainsbury’s to create The Harvest Partnership. Here three of its leading figures tell us which retailers they most admire.
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Competition Win £500 to spend at The White Company.
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Retail portfolio A quick overview of our retail centres and developments.
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Top of the glass The design details of shopping centres are often lost amongst the crowds. Not the case at Bristol thanks to its stunning glazed roof.
Centre forward
News
To coincide with its opening in October, the Scottish town of Livingston’s new one million sq ft retail area has been rebranded under the name ‘The Centre’. Comprising both the refurbished Almondvale Shopping Centre and the new £130 million extension, known as The Elements, The Centre will feature 155 shops in Elements Square, Almondvale Walk and Almondvale Place, as well as a Wintergarden and five new restaurants along The Avenue. “We believe this is the perfect
time to change the name to one which reflects Livingston’s exciting transformation,” said the Development Manager Neil Carron. “This stunning retail hub is in the heart of the town and offers so much under one roof. We have been developing in Livingston for more than 30 years and in that time the town’s retail offer has grown to become one of the best in Scotland – something we are really proud of.” Turn to page 26 to find out more about the opening day in Livingston.
Two of Land Securities’ newest shopping centres have won awards from the world’s leading environmental assessors. Cabot Circus, in Bristol, and The Elements, in Livingston, were both rated as “excellent” by BREEAM (the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Award) thanks to their environmentallyfriendly construction methods and materials. At Cabot Circus the judges were particularly impressed by the centre’s rainwater harvesting system, intelligent lighting controls and
natural ventilation. The latter saves around five million kw a year in unnecessary heating and cooling. At The Elements they similarly praised the rainwater harvesting, the solar-heated water and the use of sustainable construction materials such as terracotta, stone and zinc. “Both schemes show that good design and a great customer experience can go hand in hand with environmental excellence,” said Land Securities Group Chief Executive Francis Salway. “Cabot Circus and The Elements set the benchmark for our future schemes.”
Green awards
Easy access
Who’s the Boss? New York, Milan, Paris, Tokyo, London… and now Cardiff. Upmarket fashion names Hugo Boss and Kurt Geiger have just agreed to open large stores at the St David’s 2 shopping centre in the Welsh capital. It’s all part of the plan to position Cardiff as one of the UK’s top fashion destinations when the centre opens in autumn 2009. The designer footwear retailer Kurt Geiger has signed up for a 2,300 sq ft unit, while luxury fashion name Hugo Boss has opted for over 4,000 sq ft of space. Both stores will be located on The Hayes, a new pedestrianised boulevard lined with quality brand retailers and restaurants.
Tenants already signed up nearby include Radley, TM Lewin, Reiss, Ghost, All Saints, Crabtree & Evelyn and Links of London. “Hugo Boss and Kurt Geiger reflect the quality and class of retailer that St David’s 2 is bringing to Cardiff,” said Caroline Kirby of St David’s Partnership, the development’s joint venture between Land Securities and Capital Shopping Centres. “We are specifically targeting internationally recognised, upmarket brands, many of whom will be opening in Wales for the first time. They will trade alongside a host of quality multiples and niche independents.”
Access for disabled shoppers has just got much easier at Land Securities shopping centres. The UK’s leading Real Estate Investment Trust has teamed up with internet service DisabledGo to ensure that details of disabled access and facilities at all its centres are listed online. The DisabledGo website (www.disabledgo.info), which receives 1.5 million hits every month, helps disabled people and their carers plan shopping, leisure and business trips all over the UK. Detailed information on parking, wheelchair access and toilet facilities are tested in person by surveyors and then listed on the site. Already 21 of Land Securities’ 27 shopping centres have been featured, with the remainder soon to go online. “These are fine-grain, detailed access guides for Land Securities’ UK shopping centres,” said Dr Gregory Burke, Chief Executive of DisabledGo. “Such visionary leadership will show the way for businesses, not only to demonstrate corporate responsibility, but to benefit from the £80 billion that disabled people spend annually.”
Correction: Our last issue (Summer 2008) carried an interview with Richard Akers in which it was stated that Land Securities had managed to keep all service charges at the same levels as the previous year. Although this is correct for our shopping centres this was not the case for the retail park portfolio. We remain committed to keeping costs as low as possible. Our apologies for any misunderstanding this may have caused.
News 05
s e t i B RETAIL POWER
Who really wields all the power when it comes to influencing what we buy?
BEATING THE RECESSION
DECISIONS DECISIONS
WHERE I BUY MY ESSENTIALS
When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping. Here’s what Britain’s top retail bosses have been saying about the downturn.
Alan Giles is chairman of active lifestyle retailer Fat Face and a non-executive director of Rentokil Initial, Wilson Bowden and The Office of Fair Trading. Between 1998 and 2006 he was Chief Executive of HMV Group. Here he explains the best and worst decisions of his career.
Jeans and music – two of the most essential retail items, wherever you choose to shop. We ask three Land Securities people to reveal which stores they frequent.
SIR TERRY LEAHY Chief Executive of Tesco “We are no strangers to this type of climate. We turned the business round in the early 1990s in a much deeper recession. We learned some lessons from then and the message is simple: stay with your customers and listen to your customers.”
ANNA CHURCHILL PA to Richard Akers, Managing Director Retail at Land Securities I get my jeans from Citizens of Humanity at Selfridges on London’s Oxford Street. The pair I bought five years ago are still going strong. The style is classic, straight leg, low rise and, although quite pricey at £170 a pair, I think I’ve got the wear out of them. For music I used to love Fopp on Earlham Street in London. They stocked lots of quirky material at great prices. The shop had an alternative vibe to it and I liked the fact that they were a small outlet.
SIR STUART ROSE Chairman of Marks & Spencer “It will be tough for the next year or so going forward. But in two years’ time we will be through this slowdown and back into more sunny uplands.” SIR PHILIP GREEN Owner of Bhs and Arcadia Group “I am trying to make a profit, not be a prophet! Everyone keeps asking me that, and I don’t know.” ANDY BOND Chief Executive of Asda “There is still massive financial pressures on UK households and all retailers must put families first and continue to deliver value on petrol, food and essentials. I would like the (Bank of England’s) Monetary Policy Committee to be bold and cut interest rates further to help restore consumer confidence in the run-up to Christmas.” ALAN PARKER Chief Executive of Whitbread “We’re entering uncharted waters. We’ve continued to trade well but who knows what will happen in the run-up to Christmas and in the New Year?”
SHOPULAR CULTURE Shopping centres are now so much part of our everyday lives that they feature in countless movies and TV programmes. Here are the best films about shopping centres – or “malls”, as they call them stateside. FOOD – JAMIE OLIVER Love him or loathe him, you can’t deny that the ‘mockney’ superchef holds the key to what food we eat in Britain. With 11 books published and half a dozen TV shows under his belt, he cooks and we duly consume. MEN’S CLOTHING – DAVID BECKHAM He may have been across the pond for the last year and a half, but this sports star still get hundreds of cameras clicking every time he dons a new outfit. When he returns temporarily to European football in January, he will again be a massive influence on the clothing styles found in British shops. WOMEN’S CLOTHING – KATE BOSTOCK As head of womenswear at Marks & Spencer, Bostock is responsible for 12 per cent of all the women’s clothes sold in the UK. She says fast fashion is a thing of the past. You’d better believe her. BOOKS – RICHARD AND JUDY In spite of their move from terrestrial TV to new digital channel Watch, Madeley and Finnigan still have the power to influence which books we all read, thanks to their enormously successful book club which is responsible for 26 per cent of sales of the UK’s top 100 books. COSMETICS – VICKI NORTON The UK’s biggest-selling women’s monthly magazine is Glamour, so it makes sense that the title’s beauty editor, Vicki Norton, controls more than anyone which cosmetics women buy.
1 DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978) George Romero’s satire of modern consumerism has flesh-eating zombies rampaging through an abandoned shopping mall. 2 SCENES FROM A MALL (1991) Woody Allen and Bette Midler confess their extra-marital affairs during a stroll through a mall. 3 MALLRATS (1995) Two teenage slackers are dumped by their girlfriends and commiserate by hanging out at the mall. 4 CHOPPING MALL (1986) Cheesy horror flick in which teenagers combat shop security robots. 5 GONE SHOPPING (2007) Love, loss and liberation in this satirical drama about Singapore’s obsession with retail therapy. 6 PAUL BLART: MALL COP (2009) Due out next year, this comedy tells how a security guard deals with a shopping centre hostage situation.
MY BEST DECISION Buying Ottakar’s bookstores in order to merge the business with Waterstone’s. This was hugely controversial with customers, authors, politicians and the media. But the enlarged company is in much better shape to withstand being squeezed between the internet retailers and the supermarkets. And, thanks to great leadership by Gerry Johnson, the merger has acted as a catalyst to help Waterstone’s re-discover some of its branchbased local customer focus.
TOBY SYKES Partner, Retail Services, at Cushman & Wakefield I always buy my jeans from Levis. It’s a solid and reliable brand. It does what is says on the tin. The Levi’s shop at Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth is worth a visit as they offer a discount on two pairs, and I always like to look after Land Securities. There’s a great little specialist record shop off Lymington High Street called Forest Records. They offer you a coffee and let you listen to what you are going to buy.
MY WORST DECISION Signing up for a DIY store on the A40 coming out of London. It met – in spades – all our criteria on drive-by traffic volumes, and the size of the local residential population. But we failed to spot the slight bend in the A40 that gave drivers only a few nanoseconds to spot the entry slip-road, with no chance of turning back for a second attempt for several miles. The store sales were a dismal 20 per cent of the investment case.
SANTA’S LIST Which toys will be weighing down Santa’s sled this year? According to the Toy Retailers Association, these 12 products (in no particular order) will be the biggest sellers at Christmas. • • • •
BABY born with Magic Potty Zapf Creation; RRP £33.99 Bakugan Starter Pack Spinmaster; RRP £12.99 Ben 10 Deluxe Omnitrix Bandai; RRP £15.99 Catcha Beast Bandai; RRP £19.99
• • • • • • •
Elmo Live Mattel; RRP £59.99 FurReal Biscuit, My Lovin’ Pup Hasbro; RRP £149.99 High School Musical 3 Musical Dance Mat Vivid Imaginations; RRP £22.99 In The Night Garden Upsy Daisy and Her Chase and Play Bed Hasbro; RRP £34.99 My Life Flair Leisure Products; RRP £49.99 Rescue Pals Swim To Me Puppy MGA Entertainment Ltd; RRP £29.99 Star Wars Clone Trooper Voice Changer Hasbro; RRP £29.99
DONAL MCCABE Director Corporate Communication at Land Securities For jeans I go to the Paul Smith sale shop just off New Bond Street, in London. Not because I am a designer fiend, but because they fit well and are great value – the same price as in most high street shops. Okay, you might have to rummage around, but if you find your size you feel like you’ve hit the jackpot. For music I love HMV on London’s Oxford Street. The range, the theatre and the bargains – I remember being transfixed a couple of years ago by a Stone Roses display they had. Needless to say I had to buy some CDs just to relive my youth. However, as the digital world develops I have been known to buy the odd piece from iTunes just to keep my iPod fresh.
Bite Size 07
The latest lettings for Land Securities retail developments Cabot Circus Bristol Oakley Azendi Rituals Crystal Rivers Soho Coffee Crew Principles Guess Guess Accessories Thomas Pink Espirit Carluccio’s Zizzi’s
The Elements Livingston Topshop Topman Dorothy Perkins Burtons Next Ortak Tony Romas Tie Rack
Trinity Leeds M&S H&M Topshop Topman Boots JJB John Grimes
Keith Stone
David Smith
Retail Leasing Director
Alliance Leasing Director
Leasing Director
Despite the economic climate, retailers are still taking up space at Bristol, Livingston and Leeds. Cabot Circus, Bristol Bristol’s much-anticipated 1.5 million sq ft Cabot Circus scheme has delivered strong footfall figures and healthy trading figures. “It’s a tremendous start with retailers confirming sales well above budget in the first couple of weeks of trading,” says Keith Stone, the Bristol Alliance Leasing Director. “Over a million customers visited during the first 11 days. Harvey Nichols and House of Fraser both opened strongly and Quakers Friars has been extremely well received. Its centrepiece – Brasserie Blanc in the historic Meeting House – has been trading particularly strongly.” Although it’s still early days, Stone feels the quality of retail mix and the outstanding architecture are attracting significant spend and pulling shoppers in from the wider catchment area. The centre opened 90 per cent let with around 75 per cent of retailers and restaurants new to Bristol city centre. “Incoming brands such as Cruise, A-Wear, Crew, Kurt Geiger, Thomas Pink, Fred Perry, Fossil, Puma, Oakley, Guess, GStar, Espirit, Bench, Henleys, Reiss and American Apparel can’t fail but deliver something excitingly different,” says Stone. Great family dining is also stimulating spend. Char-grilled cuisine operator Coal Grill & Bar, 1950s-styled Italian-American
08 Lettings Update
restaurant Frankie & Benny’s, Eastern fusion resturant Tan Po Po, Carluccio’s, Amano, Yo! Sushi and local resturanteur Candos deli have all opened within The Restaurant Terrace. Here the focus is on family eating on the scheme’s car park level, adjacent to the new showcase Cinema De Lux. The Elements, Livingston The Elements in Livingston is Land Securities’ £130-million extension to the existing Almondvale Shopping Centre. It opened to enthralled Scots in mid-October, delivering 375,000 sq ft of shopping heaven under a stunningly different, eco-friendly and transparent roof. Anchor tenants are Debenhams and Marks & Spencer, and recent lettings include a large Waterstone’s, fashion names Principles, Warehouse and Republic Clothing, as well as interesting local specialists such as quality Scottish jeweller Ortak. A large Next and Arcadia brands Topshop, Topman, Dorothy Perkins and Burtons will be trading by March next year, once units are re-configured to meet their requirements. “By floor area we’re 90 per cent let, and it‘s my job to make sure we’re 100 per cent let by Christmas,” says David Smith, Leasing Director at Land Securities. “We’re down to the last seven shops.” Eight out of
10 Scots live within an hour’s drive from the centre. Smith says it’s a growing catchment area, proving that Livingston can be a credible alternative to the shopping hotspots of Glasgow and Edinburgh.
* HOT OFF THE PRESS *
Trinity Leeds John Grimes, Retail Leasing Director at Land Securities, reports that demolition work is progressing well at the Trinity Leeds site and that the joint venture between Land Securities and Caddick Developments is on course for completion in 2010. “The scheme will provide one million sq ft of prime retail in Leeds, and that space is already 30 per cent let,” says Grimes. “H&M, Marks & Spencer, Bhs and New Look are all going to be represented in line with our focus on mid-market fashion and depth of choice in the heart of the city.” H&M has agreed a 25,000 sq ft store and Topshop is taking 18,000 sq ft of space. M&S will increase the size of its existing Briggate store which connects to Trinity, creating a 155,000 sq ft landmark store, and thereby anchoring the development. Trinity Leeds will boast stunning new entrances on Briggate and Commercial Street so that many retail units will have double height frontages and even more spacious layouts than have ever been available in Leeds city centre.
Princesshay, Exeter Shoe retailer Moda in Pelle and Warehouse have taken the final two units.
St David’s 2, Cardiff Recent signings include Jamie’s Kitchen, Hugo Boss, Kurt Geiger and a large H&M.
Willow Place, Corby Mothercare and Vodafone have taken large new units.
Latest lettings
Hot Shop, A1’s new regular feature, profiles exciting international retail brands opening in the UK now.
Irish eyes Cabot Circus in Bristol is home to one of the first A-Wear fashion stores to land in the UK. Alison Clements discovers just how glamorous this Irish retailer is. “A high street chain with a boutique heart” is how Chief Executive Annmarie Flood describes A-Wear. It’s one of Ireland’s favourite mid-market fashion brands and Flood is busy transplanting it into the UK. The Alchemy Partners-backed fashion retailer offers fast-fashion clothing collections that change regularly to stimulate spending and encourage return visits. There is an emphasis on feminine styling and a boutique aesthetic, with fewer basics stocked than you might find in competitors’ stores. “Many UK shoppers already know and love the brand, having shopped at A-Wear when they are in Ireland,” Flood explains. “We are committed to delivering not only desirable product but also on quality and affordability.” The brand sits just above the likes of New Look and below River Island, Oasis and Principles in terms of pricing. According to Flood, it’s well placed to generate a fashion following even when personal budgets are stretched. A-Wear’s first store outside Ireland opened in the Highcross Shopping Centre, Leicester, in early September this year. Its second is now impressing fashion-loving 18 to 24-year olds in Bristol, where a 5,000 sq ft unit opened in Land Securities’ Cabot Circus development on September 25.
10 Hot Shop
“They’ve started very well for us,” confirms Keith Stone, Alliance Leasing Director at Cabot Circus. “It’s an exciting new brand for the region and the store really delivers the wow factor we were hoping for.” Venturing onto UK soil has been an important strategic move for A-Wear, says Flood. “We are confident that we have a strong proposition which will be attractive for British customers.” She explains that the 10 million Euro expansion budget was agreed following the management buyout of A-Wear by the existing management and Alchemy Partners in May 2007. A-Wear had already tested the water here for two years by running a concession in the Birmingham branch of Selfridges, and this reassured Flood and her team that British shoppers’ tastes were in line with their Irish counterparts. Coinciding with its international expansion, A-Wear has developed a new concept in store design, best described as ‘boutique buzz meets urban chic’. This can be seen in the Cabot Circus store which features dramatic chandeliers, rich velvet curtains circling the fitting rooms, and focal product displays on the walls, showcasing how to wear the latest looks. On giant screens behind the till, customers can watch footage of A-Wear’s seasonal fashion shows which
aim to bring the collections alive and stimulate further interest in the brand. “This new look was first tested in the Pavillion Shopping Centre branch in Swords, in Dublin, and marks a conscious move to reposition the brand,” says Flood. “It has been received very favourably by customers.” A third UK store is expected to open before the end of the year.
• Turnover In 2007 A-Wear recorded an annual turnover of 64 million Euros and pre-tax earnings of 10.5 million Euros. • Management buyout In May 2007 A-Wear completed a £50 million management buyout from owner Galen Weston, backed by private equity firm Alchemy Partners. • Portfolio The store portfolio includes 25 stores in the Republic of Ireland and two stores in Northern Ireland. • Website The UK e-commerce website www.awear.com will go live on November 11, 2008.
Leeds’ dream team Land Securities and Caddick Developments have teamed up to give Leeds the greatest shopping centre the city has ever seen. Alison Clements finds out how the project came together. Yorkshire’s largest city has a vibrant shopping scene. Dotted around the city centre are Harvey Nichols, the stylish and historic Victoria Quarter and no less than seven shopping centres. But the combined efforts of Land Securities and Caddick Developments aim finally to bring to Leeds what it’s always lacked: a prime retail shopping centre, right at its heart, that will give retail brands the space and facilities they badly need, and provide shoppers with a large, comfortable centre to be proud of. By early 2011 Trinity Leeds will be fully open for business, fronting onto historic retail routes Briggate and Commercial Street, and close to Leeds mainline train station. The new shopping centre will take up space previously occupied by the Leeds Shopping Plaza and Trinity Quarter – two neighbouring centres that were both due for overhauls – and will create a seamless shopping environment. “Land Securities were considering refurbishing Leeds Shopping Plaza and we were exploring what to do with the small centre we’d recently acquired that was next door,” explains John Bywater, Managing Director of Caddick Developments. “We realised that if we collaborated and created something remarkable together, two and two could equal five.” Bob De Barr, Land Securities’ Director of Development
Partnerships within the retail business, says bringing the two centres together as one package became the obvious way forward. It helps enormously that he and Bywater have worked successfully on large-scale joint ventures before, and have forged a valuable business friendship over the last 30 years. Bywater was previously Managing Director of Hammerson Properties and was pivotal alongside De Barr and others at Land Securities in forging the Birmingham Alliance (which delivered the Bullring in 2003), and then more recently, the Bristol Alliance (which delivered Cabot Circus this September). “When you’ve known each other for 30 years you really understand how each other works,” Bywater says. “You develop trust and a combined strength which can make a difference on these kinds of collaborative ventures, which are often fraught with challenges.” Trinity will offer one million sq ft of shops and restaurants, including an extended Marks & Spencer, fashion favourites Topshop and H&M amongst others, and a host of food and beverage opportunities. The centre will front onto prime Briggate and Commercial Street and will include the total remodelling of the former Burton Arcade and Leeds Shopping Plaza, running from Briggate to City Square and incorporating Albion Street.
Trinity Leeds 13
e f i l e h t A day in
ing? and shopp rk o w e in comb er at employees nt Marketing manag y s u b o d How pme ski, Develo rough a typical day. w o k a M a Ev th ds, talks us Trinity Lee
Bob De Barr
John Bywater
Director of Development Partnerships
Managing Director Caddick Developments
7am Eva Makowski rketing Development Ma Manager
my local ll head to I’ y a d Leeds d o on a go s born in tion. I wa s off and, a e o st short g e a th s rm n la My a hich mea the way to w n , y o it c im e sw r on the h of th gym for a etro pape kley, nort Il M r a a e b n ro ra e g liv Caffé Ne h day. I and now work eac nt at the sa to is in ro y c e d ee an train journ up a coff then pick way and office. near the
9am
11am I meet the City Centre Ret ail Management Team to discuss retail init iatives in the city, such as Leeds Shopping Week, and how we will get involved in the future.
Many retailers would like modern flagship floorspace in Leeds and our new development will finally make that possible. The building design will create “an indoor-outdoor feel”, explains Bob De Barr, thanks to a dramatic ‘floating’ glass roof covering an urban streetscape and will provide the cover for an extensive piazza-style café quarter and ensure that shoppers don‘t feel sealed in. Designed to be extremely light and airy, Trinity Leeds will offer incoming retailers the luxury of space. “Many retailers would like modern flagship floorspace in Leeds and our new development will finally make that possible,” says De Barr. “Trinity Leeds can offer the right-sized, double height units in a prime position and in a first-class retail environment.” Because Leeds is already well provided with top-end fashion, thanks to Harvey Nichols, House of Fraser and a host of expensive fashion brands in the Victoria Quarter (often dubbed ‘the Knightsbridge of the North’), the retail mix at Trinity Leeds will cater for a mid-market audience, offering choice and quality from the latest fashion names. “We’re not aiming to replicate the Victoria Quarter in any way,” says De Barr. “The aim is to appeal to a wide catchment of shoppers who want a quality shopping experience in a relaxed setting.” He points out that Trinity Leeds will pull in weekend shoppers, and also both serve and delight the thousands of office workers that are located within very close proximity
in central Leeds. “Lunchtime and evening trade will be very important,” he adds. Land Securities and Caddick Developments set up a joint venture in September 2007, and today demolition work is almost complete with construction poised to begin. The TrinityLeeds marketing suite opened in September this year, overlooking the site and Leeds city centre, giving retailers and leisure operators the chance to view work in progress and build up an understanding of how Trinity Leeds will look on completion. Demand for the 120 retail units is high. Bywater says that the joint venture has created a “powerful machine” that can draw retailers’ attention to what’s happening in Leeds and generate strong interest in the project. “Retailers are aware of our track record and when it comes to joint ventures on this scale they realise what we’re creating will be very good indeed. So we’ve attracted retailer interest right from the start.” says Bywater. The Trinity Leeds team is confident that, by the opening date, this remarkable centre will make the people of Leeds very pleased indeed. “Ultimately we’re creating much-needed prime retail space,” De Barr says, “and putting the retail heart back into the city.”
Trinity Leeds Marketing Suite
I check my e-m ails and run th rough the priorities fo r the day. Our office and the 2,500 sq ft mar new keting suite fo r Trinity Leeds the heart of th are in e city’s shoppi ng district, on Street. The mar Albion keting suite op ened on Septem 3 and, being on ber the third floor of City Exchan it overlooks th ge , e whole develo pment so we ca constantly wat n ch work in prog ress. Floor-to-ce windows provid iling e spectacular pa noramic views city. Although of the we’re viewing a demolition sit now, it’s going e right to be incredibly exciting to see amazing one m this illion sq ft sche m e gradually bein built. It’s inspiri g ng to be in the midst of all th activity, knowin at g that what w ill be Leeds’ bigg shopping destin est ever ation is taking shape before ou r eyes.
10am
I look at the la test graphics fo r the marketin with our desig g suite n agency, DS Em otion. The suite to deliver a wow needs factor for the pr ess and potent retail and leisu ial re tenants that will come and development in view the the next two ye ars, so the grap and artwork ne hics ed to be perfect . Br and awareness important even is around what is currently a build site. Working w ing ith constructio n partner Laing O’Rourke, we ar e creating a re al sense of antic People in Leed ipation. s want an idea of what’s happ beyond the ho ening ardings.
1pm
m the ally means a sandwich fro Time for lunch. That usu I’m meeting ay St Paul’s Street, but tod wonderful Philpotts on eens Arcade Qu in i Pickles & Potter del friends for a quick bite in ds’ by Lee in p sho ‘best sandwich which was recently voted toria Vic the und aro ide. Then I dash readers of the Leeds Gu have es istl Wh or len Mil Coast, Karen Quarter to see whether per Pro ty to wear to the Yorkshire something suitable for me bargains from pping, especially mixing Awards. I love clothes sho igner shops des items from the amazing Topshop and H&M with often get I so s, e and love accessorie of Leeds. I’m a real magpi gate and Brig on s or House of Fraser drawn into Harvey Nichol rf. och, belt or sca come back with a new bro
2 .30pm
At a meeting with our PR agency, Po lo PR, we discuss corporate social responsibility strategy and how we will bu ild links with local communities as th e scheme develop s.
4pm
I attend a marketin g meeting with th e Leeds Trinity operations people and the de velopment director to plan up coming marketing events.
6pm
Grill which is staurant Bar & Re e Th to ad d he City Square – I leave work an in the heart of g, in ild n bu ce ffi O g in style. I ofte in the Old Post start the evenin to ils ta ck co e r such as th a great place fo and launches, local PR events ouse of Fraser, H ok get invited to -lo g of the new in en ev many ch un la eeting friends, recent VIP t tonight I’m m Bu . tic eating, as nt be fa ll e’ which was industry. W in the property k amana or w ag W so e al lik m of who somewhere up ng di en g, in ssip drinking and go ing home. er, before head rg Bu et m ur or Go
The work-shop balance 15
Richard Akers, MD of Retail at Land Securities, believes the quality of the company’s retail portfolio means both owner and retailers can ride out the recession. John Ryan reports.
Times are challenging for those working in retail. The recession is ready to bite and shoppers are more cautious than ever. Nevertheless, Richard Akers, Managing Director of Land Securities Retail remains calm and measured when discussing the economy. “It is extraordinarily difficult to gauge how bad things really are,” he says. “Most of us have seen difficult times in the past but right now there is an extraordinary amount of volatility both in the performance of retailers and the financial markets.” Richard believes there is a marked difference between the recession of the early 1990s and the conditions that retailers and landlords currently face. “While there were many shopping centres that opened in the 1990 to 1992 period, not many of them could really have been described as top quality,” he explains. “This time round I think the quality is much higher. So, for retailers, it hasn’t really been an option not to open in these schemes, because then they just fall behind the competition. I think the intense competition between retailers has been driving the occupational market in the major centres and will continue to do so.” Despite this optimism, Richard recognises the financial situation will get worse before it gets better. “We will work together with our retailers to try to ensure we maximise the attractiveness
Set for the storm
of our locations to the shopping public. By engaging in discussions with retailers and meeting on a regular basis, to talk about issues such as monthly rents, we are looking to identify the problems ahead and search for solutions which are realistic, measured and continue to create platforms for long term success through sustainable growth.” Along with the credit crunch, 2008 will also well be remembered as the year in which a very substantial amount of new retail space emerged from the development pipeline. And the overwhelming majority of what has been brought to market falls into the high-quality category mentioned by Richard. Maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise that Land Securities has substantially let successful schemes such as Cabot Circus, Bristol, through a joined up approach to deliver real value back to retailers. But development of major schemes of this complexity over long periods of time is no mean feat and can be fraught with risks. Managing such schemes in an economic downturn is also tough. Couple this with the rise and rise of internet commerce and Richard’s task looks extremely challenging. But he remains upbeat. “Although there has been a move towards the internet, I think the combination of the recent spate of concept store and shopping centre openings has reinforced my belief that bricks and mortar retailing is absolutely here to stay,” he says. “Not just in the very prime locations, but also in locations which have a more targeted audience.”
Richard Akers Managing Director, Retail
Richard admits that there remain places where retailers would like to be and those where they have to be. If times were more buoyant, retailers would be looking to take more than one location in any given city. But in the current climate he is realistic. “So far, the main characteristic of this current downturn is the credit crunch.” he says “Organisations can’t do everything they want to do because of constraints on cash, but they are still looking for the prime space which we can deliver.” Given this more difficult operating environment, how does Richard see the next six to 12 months for retailers, shoppers and, of course, retail landlords and developers? “It’s difficult for a property company to react quickly,” he comments. “What we have been doing over the long term is trying to ensure that we have a portfolio which is substantially prime where people continue to go shopping and which won’t be adversely affected by competition. We recognise that consumer confidence is low and that the challenges ahead within the economy mean that funding is getting tougher but our approach is to meet this challenge head on. Understanding and working in partnership with our retailers means that we provide the best opportunity for growth in the long term.” He says the success of this strategy to date can be seen in the level of voids in Land Securities’ portfolio, which has remained at low levels over the last 18 months. In part, this is the outcome of Land Securities’ long term strategy of recycling its capital and investing in assets with medium and long term potential – it has sold more than £1 billion of retail property since January 2007.
It has also been quite canny in the letting market. “We haven’t been disproportionately affected by the insolvencies that we’ve seen so far,” he says. “Particularly on retail warehousing, we’ve been quite successful at letting some of our vacant units.” The final point, according to Richard, about the Land Securities approach to the retail property market and to retailers en masse, is that it is not just another landlord collecting the rent, “we are far more involved in striving to create sustainable centres that see beyond the current economy.” In order to keep itself on track with the retailers that form its base, customer survey programmes have been in place for the last seven years. “We get rated by shop managers and regional managers because our relationships with retailers have to start with the service that we give them on the ground.” He says this covers everything from service charges to the quality of Land Securities’ marketing, as seen through the eyes of its retailers. “It’s our belief that we can only grow rents – and therefore value – if the turnover and profitability of our retailers is also growing. We put a lot of effort into ensuring that our retailers are successful. Our objective is to understand our customers’ businesses so that we can come forward with suggestions about how we can work together. Conversations are not just about the next deal.” Land Securities’ Retail business, with Richard at its helm, remains strong. There are definite highlights and a very clear sense of direction, as well as a strategy for coping with the downturn.
While many shopping centres opened before the last recession, not many of them could really have been described as top quality. This time round I think the quality is much higher.
Portfolio 17
Once the busiest port in the UK, Cardiff has says, will raise Cardiff from 11th place in its re-invented itself over the past 20-odd years as retail ranking table to 8th, above centres like a vibrant and stylish city. It has a youthful feel, Bluewater, Edinburgh and Norwich. while its historical maritime pre-eminence But unlike, say, Bluewater and Edinburgh, survives to this day in its outward-looking spirit. St David’s 2 will not have to compete for shoppers Cardiff’s importance as an international tourist with other major regional centres, as it’s the only destination is reflected in the fact that it regularly one of its kind on the Welsh side of the River draws in nearly 12 million visitors a year – thanks Severn. And it’s unique in another way. As Lester partly to an annual programme of sporting and Hampson, the Head of Retail Development at cultural events you’d expect in a national capital. Land Securities, explains: “After the opening of But something has been missing. There’s been high-profile schemes like Liverpool One, Westfield a gap in the city’s shopping landscape that will London and our own Cabot Circus in Bristol this finally be bridged when the St David’s 2 centre – year, in 2009 the only scheme in the UK of any a joint venture between Land Securities and retail substance for retailers looking to expand will management company Capital Shopping Centres be St David’s 2.” – opens in the heart of the city next autumn. Retailers setting up in Cardiff for the first time Steven Madeley, Centre Director of the existing will find it pays rich dividends. Many outlets in St David’s centre, explains: “St David’s 2 is actually the city will become either the flagships or highfilling a need. For example, I met some American ranking stores in their chains, and Cardiff also offers tourists recently who told me that, although they an unusually high seasonal peak at Christmas. loved the city, it doesn’t have enough shops.” Finding trained, qualified staff will bring
Saint comes marching in Shoppers in South Wales are set to benefit from a brand new shopping centre – one which will draw 2.5 million visitors and £9.5 billion in retail revenue every year. Guy Richards visits St David’s 2.
18 St David’s 2
St David’s 2 will go a long way towards smiles as well, as the scheme will offer access redressing this. With more than 967,000 sq ft to a database of skilled people to fill all roles – of floor space, the eagerly anticipated new people with prior experience as well as those mixed-use development will have 100 stores trained through industry-standard programmes and 23 restaurants and cafés, along with a new like RetailWorks. state-of the-art library, more than 300 luxury The scheme is joined up in other ways, too. apartments and 2,500 parking spaces. It’s a short walk from the kind of transport links About half the scheme is already let. John you’d expect in any top-flight European capital and Lewis has signed up as the anchor, and its Cardiff its residential section will give it a sense of place store will be its first in Wales and its largest in the city centre, while its position serves to draw outside London. St David’s 2 has also attracted the centre closer to Cardiff Bay – famous around new mid-to-premium brands to the city such the world as Tiger Bay, now a prime and popular as Ghost, TM Lewin and Crabtree & Evelyn. waterside development that attracts its own visitors. St David’s 2 is very much a joined-up solution. Laid out around a series of streets and It is connected into the neighbouring St David’s arcades, it also features a curving Grand Arcade shopping centre which already has a large existing as its centrepiece, designed to complement customer base and which is being refurbished Cardiff’s renowned Victorian arcades but still to the same high standards as its new sibling. provide the kind of space modern retailers need. St David’s has two established anchors in Yet the scheme is also laid out so that it connects Debenhams and Marks & Spencer which, with to the Victorian arcades across the refurbished St David’s 2’s new John Lewis, will give the entire pedestrian boulevard on The Hayes, which itself scheme a powerful, three-point footfall magnet. offers brands like House of Fraser as well as Not that retailers need worry about the specialist stores. number of potential customers. Figures from Add to that a range of community events property consultancy Experian show that the and innovative public art planned for inside combined scheme will draw in 2.5 million people the scheme and on The Hayes, and it’s clear a year, from all over southern Wales, who are that St David’s 2 is set to become the beating forecast to spend £9.5 billion a year. This, Experian heart of the Celtic Dragon’s retail economy.
A new clothing stor e at Bristol’s Cabot Circus is designed inside. Liz Morrell pa to make shoppers ys a visit to Cult. all warm and cosy Standing at the en trance and looking down the stairs int lower ground shop o the floor of the Cult sto they boast, as well re in Bristol’s Cabo as tables of product you’re almost tem t Circus, highlighted by jam pted to dive into th lighting chandeliers jar-style e sea that hang down fro of colour that await Product fans out in m s. the low-slung ceilin front of you with ev cre ate stu nn ing g to ce ery nt repieces. top, t-shirt or shirt available in at least three different colou Overall the look is rs – ca a sual but considered rainbow of choices to dazzle you. Here ; cool without being the clothes themsel contrite. Again you ves are as integral sense the importa of the store’s desig a pa nce of the merchan rt n as the store itself th e sh op dising in de sign. Some products . This Bristol outlet are hanging, others is one of Cult’s lat cla ssi arr c, an ne ged in a atl y folded manner. Ne est – and at aroun sq ft, it’s also one ar the foot of the d 11,000 of their biggest. Sto wi sta th pro irs is du a table ct mo re designer, Simon re casually slung – a fairly open brief. Kirby, had albeit still in a patte He was told by Cu tempting you to to rn – lt ow uch and feel. ner Julian Dunkert simply to “go away on and get creative”. The instructions see m to have worked. The shop features wood and reclaime natural d brickwork set ag ain st a galvanized indus finish that includes trial exposed air-conditio ning and lighting un The look is softene its . d and accentuated Music is essential in with decorative wa the atmosphere of feature displays ag llpaper Cult. “It’s all about ainst which hang th cre ating something int e latest product. “If ere sting and the music at a wall of racking, you look plays a big part,” we add dimensions Kirby says. “It’s lou d enough so that yo to that to lift the pro and help it jump ou u can have a convers duct t to the eye,” Kirby with your friends an ation says. d not be overheard. The floor space is ” broken up by false Shoppers browsing bri ck amongst the colou and steel walls, as well as clever posit rful merchandise an ioning of merchan unusual fittings ce d dise units that help rtainly look relaxed the shopper and pa to and at home. A sen co ntain rtition the store. “It cosiness is key. “The se of giv ide es a yo is u lots of different that you feel warm areas to shop in,” Kir when you walk by adds. in, even if you happ ened to have no clo Product is further thes on,” says Kirby celebrated by dark Th an kfu . lly th e shoppers today are and imposing wood bookcases with su dressed. But if they en nken spotlights that na ke d, as we Kir re by su ggests, the inviting accentuate the fol ded tops displays that await in-store would soon th em be adorning them head to toe.
T he clothes themselves are as integral a part of the store’s desi gn as the store itself.
Store Design 21
Portsmouth’s shopping centre Gunwharf Quays is now so green that it recycles 99 per cent of its waste. Will Jones finds out how the process works and why occupiers are so keen to get involved.
Along with the famous Spinnaker Tower, Gunwharf Quays is one of Portsmouth’s main attractions, drawing over six million visitors every year. Spanning 33 acres, with 105 retail outlets, 27 bars and restaurants, two nightclubs, a cinema, a casino and a 130-room hotel, it’s a major shopping and leisure complex for the South Coast. An enterprise of this scale inevitably produces a large amount of rubbish – from food waste and glass bottles to cardboard boxes, light bulbs, wooden pallets, printer cartridges and much more. This is why Land Securities is committed to a waste management scheme that now sees over 99 per cent of all the waste created at Gunwharf Quays recycled. Centre Manager Peter Emery is at the heart of this scheme. He ensures all occupiers get involved in making the shopping centre one of the greenest in the UK. “Recycling is now standard practice at Gunwharf Quays,” he says. “All of our occupiers do it and accept it as read. We have worked with them to best understand their requirements while striving to meet our targets. Everyone buys into it.” Land Securities is the waste broker for all occupiers at Gunwharf Quays. It manages over 2,800 tonnes every year. However, to initiate a recycling programme, Emery first had to find out just what was being thrown away. “We carried out a waste audit, sorting through our occupiers’ rubbish to assess what types of materials were being discarded,” he explains. “There was card, plastic,
glass, paper etc – all of which could be recycled – plus food waste and some hazardous stuff, too.” Emery drew up a recycling plan for his occupiers which included education, encouragement and a little bit of enforcement to ensure that less waste was sent to landfill. “In 2002 we were recycling only 17 per cent of our waste,” he says. “So we provided more bins, held workshops to teach everyone just what could be recycled, and carried out spot checks to make sure that people were doing their bit. Now we work in partnership. We make the recycling scheme easy to use and we motivate occupiers by giving them awards for action and enthusiasm. Occupiers now voluntarily sort their own waste.” This waste reduction initiative saw Gunwharf Quays recycling over 40 per cent of its waste by 2006. In the 12 months between September 2006 and September 2007 some 572 tonnes of glass were recycled, along with 468 tonnes of cardboard, 114 tonnes of pallets, 34 tonnes of metal, 12 tonnes of polythene, six tonnes of paper, 80kgs of plastic, 40kgs of ink cartridges, plus an astounding 1.36 tonnes of coat hangers. “This would not have been possible without the cooperation of the occupiers,” says Emery. “We now have a green culture that pervades every corner of the site. So, when new occupiers arrive they see it as the norm and work with us from day one.” The policy really works. Gunwharf Quays has held the ISO 14001 environmental standard since
2005. It was highly commended in 2006 at the National Recycling Awards and, most recently, won the BCSC Green Apple Award in 2008. In addition, almost all of Gunwharf Quays’ non-recyclable waste is now managed at the Portsmouth Energy Recovery Facility. Here, waste that cannot be conventionally recycled is incinerated. The resulting toxins are stripped out and the ash is compacted into breeze blocks. The heat generated is converted to steam to drive generators that produce electricity which is then fed into the National Grid. In an average month Gunwharf Quays creates around 70,000 Kwh of electricity – enough to power 20 homes. Despite all the success and praise, Emery is not resting on his laurels. He is now planning to introduce reusable packaging across the entire centre thanks to a scheme that uses plastic delivery crates, rather than throw-away cardboard ones. Coat hangers are another item that can be addressed. “If we use one generic hanger in all of the shops, then they will be easily reused again and again,” he says. “It seems simple, but it saves tremendously on waste.” His recycling zeal has not gone unnoticed. Land Securities helped him create the Centre Manager’s Environmental Toolkit, a guide to the initiatives used at Gunwharf Quays and the methods for implementing them on other Land Securities properties. Emery hopes shopping centres all over the country will follow his model.
Sustainability 23 31
Top of the Glass Land Securities’ centres feature some stunning architectural detail. One of the most impressive is the glazed roof at Bristol’s Cabot Circus, as Dominic Bliss discovers.
The spaces between the shops are often as important as the shops themselves. Nowhere is this more obvious than in Land Securities’ Bristol shopping centre, Cabot Circus, home of what is believed to be the largest single-span glass roof in the UK. The 5,800 sq m “glazed roof”, as it’s known, features 2,800 panes of reinforced glass, each one a slightly different size, and covers the shopping centre’s central atrium and pedestrian walkways leading away from it. It is the work of artist Nayan Kulkarni, along with architects Chapman Taylor and project engineers Schlaich Bergermann. Kulkarni visited several existing roofs in Milan, Berlin and Stuttgart before creating his design for Bristol. It was a glass-covered piazza in Stuttgart that finally gave him the inspiration he needed. “We looked at 15 buildings across Italy and Germany,” he says. “Work by architects such as Norman Foster, Richard Rogers, Frank Gehry and Renzo Piano. But it was after I met the rest of the team on the research trip and heard them talking about shopping and architecture that I finally understood what they needed for Cabot Circus.” Kulkarni, who has built art installations in parks and public
spaces all around the UK, worked on the glazed roof for a total of seven months, starting in 2003 and finishing this year. “It was like giving birth,” he jokes. “There was one point when I was working intensely for two and half months, non-stop.” He is particularly proud of how he was able to overlap sections of roof so that fresh air can pass through to the inside. “Shopping centres are either internal or external,” he explains. “But thanks to the roof at Cabot Circus the centre doesn’t have the status of an indoor space, and it doesn’t have the status of an outdoor space. This is what makes it so special.” He is also delighted that the engineers ended up using low-iron glass which ensured the roof looks white rather than slightly green as it would have done with normal glass. Nor was Kulkarni ever worried about how the glass might be cleaned. “I watched them cleaning the Gherkin building in London and thought there’s nothing on our roof that gets close to how difficult it is to clean that glass building,” he says. “In any case, during the opening of Cabot Circus, people were dancing on the roof. And no one damaged it then.” Kulkarni, who has a studio in central London, is now working on a huge lighting installation at Land Securities’ Cardiff shopping centre, St David’s 2.
Portfolio Detail 07 25
Braving the Elements
Just as the economic frost bites hard, the green shoots of a new retail project are springing up in Livingston. Arthur Allan wonders whether they might grow to challenge nearby Edinburgh? The headlines were less than sunny on the day Elements Square opened its doors in Livingston. The FTSE index had just hit a five-year low; commentators were forecasting two million unemployed by Christmas. If the citizens of West Lothian were alarmed, they didn’t show it. Tens of thousands turned out on a Thursday morning to sample the musicians, stilt-walkers and dancers at the launch of the shopping centre. When the ribbon was cut at Marks & Spencer (one of two anchor stores in the development, along with Debenhams) there was practically a stampede to sample the merchandise. This enthusiasm was understandable. Livingston, in Scotland’s central belt, has long attracted fans of fashion clothing to its label-heavy designer outlet. But until now its town centre lacked many high street staples or a department store. From the start, developers Land Securities had encouraged locals’ ideas on the new centre, via a dedicated hotline, email address and information stands. It was public opinion that convinced M&S to commit to a 90,000 sq ft presence there – economic uncertainties notwithstanding. “Customers had responded extremely positively to the M&S
impression of wandering a traditional street in the open air. In fact visitors are protected by a roof sculpted in the same kind of plastic air-cushions used in the Beijing Olympics’ swim centre – all of which allow natural light to flood in. In the evenings, embedded lights twinkle on and give the subtle suggestion of shopping under starlight. Those who want to meet and relax, rather than shop, can head for the elevated Wintergarden. There they can pick up a snack from premium deli Peckham’s, or just relax on a comfortable sofa and meditate for a while among the section’s thousand or so leafy plants. Elements Square is the missing piece in Livingston’s jigsaw – both in a physical sense as well as a retail sense. It nestles between the existing, 1970s-built Almondvale Centre and the Livingston Designer Outlet to create almost a million square feet of shopping space. Collectively the facility now takes as its brand name the one locals have long used – ‘The Centre’. Centre Director Alison Niven is confident that besides eager locals, this classy new offering can lure what the marketing gurus call “aspirational spenders” – those who may previously have limited their visit to the designer outlet – and “complex cosmopolitans” who need to do their shopping outside normal hours. The strategy is to establish The Centre as a regional draw. With its new brand mix and ample parking, it aims to tempt people from as far east as Edinburgh’s borders and, in the other direction, from heavily-populated Stirling, Falkirk, Motherwell and the Glasgow fringes. On the launch day, The Edinburgh Evening News newspaper heralded The Centre as a “big threat” to Edinburgh’s Princes Street. Niven’s initial target is to attract 10 million visitors per year. Fortunately footfall has been increasing massively. “The challenge I have is to work really closely with the retailers to help them through these less buoyant times,” she says.
The Edinburgh Evening News newspaper heralded The Centre as a “big threat” to Edinburgh’s Princes Street. Simply Food store in Livingston,” says store manager Grant Henry. “Their feedback was that they wanted access to a larger store with further products.” Other retailers were equally quick to see the potential. By opening day, Elements Square had let 85 per cent of retail space, attracting names such as H&M, Swarovski, Jane Norman, Republic, Waterstone’s, Principles and Warehouse. For the first time town centre shoppers could also enjoy extended opening hours and replenish themselves at one of five new restaurants, including Wagamama, Ask and Chiquito. “We haven’t compromised on quality of retail mix,” says David Smith, Land Securities’ Leasing Director. “Even in a sluggish economy we’ve been able to give the town the high street it’s never had.” That high street feel is emphasised in Elements Square’s design. Materials more often found in outdoor environments – terracotta and zinc for the walls, and granite flooring – give shoppers the
“But retail is resilient in the long term.” Geography and demographics are certainly on the side of The Centre. Eight out of 10 Scots live within an hour’s drive. And West Lothian has Scotland’s youngest and fastest-growing population – set to soar by 27 per cent by 2024. Another factor likely to have a strong influence on success is Land Securities’ long association with the area and its people. The company developed the original Almondvale Centre more than 30 years ago, and part-owns Livingston Designer Outlet. It enjoys strong support from the local authority; unusually, the development of Elements Square was not subject to public inquiry. So while he remains realistic about the short term, David Smith is positively bullish about The Centre’s future prospects. “We have given the town the high street it never had and we’re appealing to a much wider catchment already, creating a true retail destination for Livingston.”
Open 27
g n i w a r D c rowds at Kent’s ne w Cross, is u shopping centre, W s a casino, ing restaurants, a estwood as well as cinema a nd its custom gr ers. Tracy eat shops, to attra West pay c s a visit. t
There’s a knobbly bit that sticks out of the edge of Kent into the North Sea, known as the Isle of Thanet. The area might not be as historically interesting as, say, Canterbury, nor as posh as Royal Tunbridge Wells, but it’s fast becoming known as a mecca for shoppers and people looking to be entertained. The reason for this is Westwood Cross, a 438,000 sq ft retail and leisure development that’s equidistant from the three seaside towns of Ramsgate, Margate and Broadstairs. The shopping centre section of the development opened in June 2005, restaurants followed in November 2007, with entertainment sites opening in February of this year. It’s now home to some of the biggest names in shopping and leisure including Marks & Spencer, Debenhams, Next, TK Maxx, G Casino, Mecca Bingo, Vue Cinema, Frankie & Benny’s, Chiquitos and Ask. General Manager Tom Price is keen to market Westwood Cross as a place for both great shops, great restaurants and great entertainment. And it seems he’s doing a good job as footfall figures for 2008 are, so far, up 6.8 per cent year on year.
Canterbury is the closest and biggest rival, but Price says now that Westwood Cross is complete it provides genuine competition for the cathedral city. “Before the restaurants and leisure facilities were open there wasn’t really enough here for a whole day out, but now there definitely is. People can come for shopping, lunch and then cinema, for example.” While 90 per cent of Westwood Cross’ visitors are from Thanet, more and more are now coming from Canterbury, Dover and even further afield. Marketing material is designed to make locals feel at home in Westwood Cross, hence the tagline ‘Your place for shopping and leisure’. “We want people to think ‘It’s there for me, it was built with me in mind’,” explains Price. He’s keen to encourage retailers and leisure operators to work together. One event designed to do this is the Christmas lights switch-on at the end of November. While a star from the local panto turns on the lights, there will be extended shopping hours, buskers and street performers. G Casino will be serving mulled wine and minced pies outside its premises.
d o o w t s e W Cross The casino company is certainly making the most of its location. General Manager Peter Donnelly reports that business is good. The company had previously operated in Ramsgate but moved to Westwood Cross when the opportunity arose. Donnelly says some customers moved with them but that they have also picked up a “broad new customer base”. It’s an impressive operation. The 20,000 sq ft building includes 12 gaming tables, 30 roulette stations, 20 slot machines and a poker room with its own bar. The casino holds 650 people at any one time and fills up for big events – Donnelly is expecting a large crowd for the Full Length & Fabulous New Years’ Eve Ball, for example. Although there’s no scientific way of measuring how many Westwood Cross shoppers actually slip into their glad rags and visit the casino after going shopping, Donnelly is convinced the G Casino location, right opposite all the shops, helps enormously with customer awareness. Facilities
are good, not least of all the parking. There are 1,500 free spaces, and Price believes this is part of the attraction. “Shoppers going to Canterbury not only have the hassle of finding somewhere to park, but they then have to pay for it,” he says. “Here we have masses of parking and it’s free.” Price is all for making Westwood Cross as convenient as possible for visitors. He recently had the car park rearranged to provide better flow, plus he segregated staff parking to ensure they don’t take all the prime spaces. Like a big kid, he’s excited about Christmas. The only present he’s really hoping for is a busy Westwood Cross. It will be the first Christmas when the entire development has been open. Late night shopping will be extended, with longer hours than last year. And he’s confident the retail and leisure mix will entice the public. He’s hopeful many will come straight from work, have a bite to eat, do a bit of shopping then head for the cinema or the casino.
Westwood Cross 29
The Harvest Partnership is a joint property development venture between Land Securities and Sainsbury’s. Rob Richardson meets three people from the partnership and finds out where they love to shop. Suzi’s favourite stores Karen Millen I love the clothes that Karen Millen sell. They are very different to the run of the mill clothes you find on the high street. On some occasions, though, they are a bit too different! I love the feel of the shops when you’re inside and all the merchandising. It gives shoppers a real sense of quality that adds to the overall experience.
My Favourite Retailer
Suzi Clay
Mark Bird
Portfolio Director
Project Manager
The White Company Far too much of my hard-earned cash is spent in this furnishings and interiors shop. I tend to shop by mail order but the stores are equally great, with well-designed store layouts and helpful staff. I find that they stock exactly the kinds of things I would like for my home – really high quality products.
Opposite. Paul Smith Top right. Karen Millen Middle right. The White Company Bottom right. John Lewis
Mark’s favourite stores John Lewis I’m a typical male, so the idea of spending the least amount of effort by visiting one store with a great range of products (particularly household goods) is very appealing. The added benefit that I can walk to my local store in Kingston-UponThames clearly influences this too. Their customer service has always been great, whether in-store or by phone. Purchasing a product by phone is great when time is tight because the items are then available for collection within half an hour. The kids’ toy department is also good and can be a great distraction when you are trying to look after a two and a half-year-old son.
Paul Smith Their Covent Garden store in London is where I go. It offers a good range of their current products presented in a slightly unusual way, in what is quite a quirky store. They are now more of a high street name than they used to be, however I think they have still managed to maintain an element of uniqueness with their products. They have reasonable prices and are great for t-shirts and jeans.
My Favourite Retailer 31
Below. Hackett Right. Loch Fyne Restaurant
The Land Securities Retail Competition
Win £500 to spend at The White Company Matt’s favourite stores Matt Birch is Head of Asset Management at Sainsbury’s. Hackett I love this clothing store, mainly because everything they make is great quality at a good price. The customer service at their Holborn store in central London is first rate – you can always rely on them to stock what you want.
Loch Fyne Restaurants Loch Fyne have a great customer proposition: the best fresh ingredients simply, but perfectly prepared. As a customer this is easily understood and the restaurants make sure they deliver it to the same high standard on every visit. No matter which one you go to you (they have restaurants all over the UK) you’re sure to have a great meal.
The Question What is the name of the founder of The White Company? We are giving you the chance to have £500 to spend at the stylish and contemporary home accessories and clothing company. Simply answer the question above to have the chance to win this fantastic competition.
32 My Favourite Retailer
Please e-mail answers to: A1@landsecurities.com by Wednesday 25th January 2009. Entrants must be aged 18 or over. UK residents only. Employees of Land Securities and Alma Media International and/or their families are not permitted to enter. Land Securities’ decision is final. For full terms and conditions e-mail: A1@landsecurities.com
Competition 33
Shopping Centres
Retail Parks
Location
Property name
Area sq m (sq ft)
Principal contact
Phone number
Location
Aberdeen
Bon Accord and St Nicholas
58,529 (630,000)
Katherine Armstead
0141 331 4409
Bexhill-On-Sea
Birmingham
Bullring
110,000 (1.2 million)
Rob Callaghan
020 7024 5414
Blackpool
Blackpool Retail Park
12,728 (137,583)
Suzi Clay
020 7024 5128
Birmingham
Priory Square
26, 013 (279,900)
Andrew Rawlings
020 7747 2336
Bracknell
The Peel Centre
15,383 (165,500)
Nick Duffield
020 7024 5485
Bristol
Cabot Circus
139,300 (1,500,000)
Rob Callaghan
020 7024 5414
Chadwell Heath
Goodmayes Retail Park
9,197 (99,000)
Suzi Clay
020 7024 5128
Cambridge
Christ’s Lane
7,282 (78,388)
Sara Fuge
020 7024 5174
Chester
Chester Retail Park
13,945 (150,100)
Hermione Mackrill
020 7024 5486
Cardiff
St David’s Shopping Centre
39,735 (427,000)
Rob Callaghan
020 7024 5414
Chester
Greyhound Retail Park
18,859 (203,000)
Hermione Mackrill
020 7024 5486
Clapham
Shopstop
4,170 (44,884)
Ailish Christian
020 7024 5066
Chesterfield
Ravenside Retail Park
9,629 (103,600)
Nick Duffield
020 7024 5485
Corby
Town Centre / Willow Place
68,740 (740,000)
Andrew Rawlings
020 7747 2336
Derby
Meteor Centre
16,921 (182,100)
Jack Busby
020 7024 5487
Exeter
Princesshay
49,256 (530,000)
Rob Callaghan
020 7024 5414
Dundee
Kingsway Retail Park
27,768 (298,900)
Jack Busby
020 7024 5487
Glasgow
Buchanan Galleries
57,600 (620,000)
Katherine Armstead
0141 331 4409
Edmonton
Ravenside Retail Park
11,971 (128,800)
Nick Duffield
020 7024 5485
Harrogate
Victoria Centre
12,132 (130,600)
James Larmuth
0113 386 2177
Gateshead
Team Valley Retail Park, Retail World 35,084 (377,650)
Ian Bramley
020 7024 5484
Leeds
Leeds Shopping Plaza
53,670 (557,500)
Rebecca Young
0113 386 2016
Hatfield
Oldings Corner Retail Park
5,967 (64,200)
Jack Busby
020 7024 5487
Leeds
White Rose
63,638 (685,000)
Gerald Jennings
0113 386 2006
Liverpool
Aintree Racecourse Retail Park
27,101 (292,000)
Nick Duffield
020 7024 5485
Liverpool
Clayton Square
16,553 (180,000)
Gerald Jennings
0113 386 2006
Livingston
Almondvale
35,284 (379,800)
Ian Bramley
020 7024 5484
Liverpool
St Johns Centre
33,450 (360,000)
James Larmuth
0113 386 2177
Milford Haven
Havenshead Retail Park
6,911 (74,300)
Suzi Clay
020 7024 5128
Livingston
The Centre
49,238 (530,000)
Katherine Armstead
0141 331 4409
Northampton
Nene Valley Retail Park
13,633 (147,000)
Hermione Mackrill
020 7024 5486
London
Lewisham Centre
34,523 (371,500)
Lucy Lilley
020 7024 5488
Plymouth
Friary Retail Park
7,311 (78,700)
Jack Busby
020 7024 5487
London
N1 Centre, Islington
13,000 (140,000)
Ailish Christian
020 7024 5066
Poole
Commerce Centre
19,325 (208,000)
Nick Duffield
020 7024 5485
London
Southside, Wandsworth
49,405 (531,800)
Graeme Stevenson
020 7024 5415
Swansea
Pontardulais Road
7,389 (79,500)
Nick Duffield
020 7024 5485
London
Stratford Shopping Centre
31,224 (336,000)
Graeme Stevenson
020 7024 5415
Taplow
Bishops Centre
7,925 (85,300)
Suzi Clay
020 7024 5128
London
W12, Shepherds Bush
27,127 (291,900)
Lucy Lilley
020 7024 5488
Thanet
Westwood Cross
44,129 (475,000)
Hermione Mackrill
020 7024 5486
Maidstone
Fremlin Walk
32,515 (350,000)
Graeme Stevenson
020 7024 5415
West Thurrock
West Thurrock Retail Park
34,931 (376,778)
Hermione Mackrill
020 7024 5486
Sunderland
The Bridges
47,840 (515,000)
Rebecca Young
0113 386 2016
Workington
Derwent
15,100 (162,500)
Jack Busby
020 7024 5487
Welwyn Garden City
The Howard Centre
22,296 (239,900)
Lucy Lilley
020 7024 5488
Worcester
Cathedral Plaza
19,974 (215,000)
Andrew Rawlings
020 7747 2336
Area sq m (sq ft)
Principal contact
Phone number
Outlets
Property name
Area sq m (sq ft)
Principal contact
Phone number
Ravenside Retail and Leisure Park name 24,132 (259,750) Suzi Clay Principal 5128 No. Location Property Area sq m (sq ft) contact 020 7024Phone
Developments
Location
Property name
Area sq m (sq ft)
Principal contact
Phone number
Location (anticipated opening) Property name
Banbridge
The Outlet at Bridgewater Park
18,580 (200,000)
Colin Hearsum
023 9283 6756
Banbridge (late 2008)
Hatfield
The Galleria
29,728 (319,900)
Colin Hearsum
023 9283 6756
Cardiff (Autumn 2009)
St David’s 2
89,891 (967,500)
Lester Hampson
020 7747 2337
Livingston
Designer Outlet Centre
26,790 (288,300)
Colin Hearsum
023 9283 6756
Glasgow (2013)
Buchanan Galleries
65,000 (700,000)
Nick Davis
020 7024 5203
Portsmouth
Gunwharf Quays
41,276 (425,000)
Colin Hearsum
023 9283 6756
Leeds (2010)
Trinity Leeds
92,900 (1,000,000)
Lester Hampson
020 7747 2337
Liverpool (2013)
St Johns
33,444 (360,000)
Nick Davis
020 7024 5203
34 Retail Portfolio
Retail Park at Bridgewater Park name 28,421 (305,900) HermionePrincipal Mackrill contact 020 7024 5486 No. Location Property Area sq m (sq ft) Phone
Retail Portfolio 35