retail
House of Fraser has been served notice on its Oxford Street store, which will close in January. The owner of 318 Oxford Street, Public Properties Establishment, has been granted permission by Westminster Council for a £100m mixed-use renovation on the site. Frasers, who owns the House of Fraser brand, believe there will be further closures unless the business rates system is changed.
Marks and Spencer have formed a partnership with Costa Coffee. The deal involves a range of around 30 M&S products being made available at more than 2,500 Costa locations, which, it is hoped, will target customers no longer commuting to the office every day. Steve Dresser, director at Grocery Insight, expressed support for the deal, calling it a “great move”: “It makes sense to get the volumes by supplying a popular third party like Costa.”
Activewear brand Fabletics has opened its first UK store. The retailer, which has 71 physical stores worldwide, has launched an “experiential pop-up” on London’s Regent Street. Omnisuite and Omnishop technology will allow customers to request different sizes and colours, check stock and receive styling advice without leaving the fitting room. The official grand opening takes place this weekend, featuring in-store barre classes by Define London.
LEISURE
Indian street food franchise Chaiiwala is set to make its central London debut as it aims to increase its estate to 230 UK stores by the end of 2024. Last week’s opening in Fosse Shopping Park, Leicester, brings the total number of Chaiiwala stores to 45. It also launched its first Canadian store, in Vancouver. The first central London store will be on Knightsbridge’s Brompton Road, opening on the 13th December. Nil Naik, franchise director, said: “We will open in central London, give it six months of blood, sweat and tears so that we can give a playbook to franchisees as a test to see what it takes to operate them successfully.” Chaiiwala plans to open further stores in central London, but also across Scotland, Europe and Dubai.
Property
British Land has announced plans to buy and convert car parks and empty retail centres into distribution centres for online shopping and rapid grocery delivery services. The landlord said it had bought sites including a warehouse in Enfield and an underground car park in London’s Finsbury Square. Chief executive Simon Carter said that space for distribution centres in London is currently limited. He added: “Increasing expectation of delivery times, same-day delivery and in some cases 10-minute delivery is creating colossal demand for space at the same time that industrial space has shrunk in London.”
Openings
Brazilian-Japanese restaurant Mano Mayfair is to launch on Heddon Street next month; Sustainable restaurant Apricity is to open early next year in Mayfair; Chateaubriand-focused restaurant Chateau-X is to open in Glasgow next month; Brasserie Riding House is to open a second restaurant in London’s Bloomsbury; Wine bar Where’s Fred’s is to open in the City of London on the 1st December; Thai restaurant group Busaba is to open its first site in Oxford.
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