RETAIL AND LEISURE
Supermarket chain The Co-op is opening 30 new stores across the UK between now and Christmas including sites at transport hubs, key city locations and residential apartments. The new stores will run on 100 percent renewable electricity and provide funding for local community causes. Site locations due to open include: Barrachnie, Bognor Regis, Bristol, Broughton, Cambridge, Carmarthen, Chichester, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Galston, Gravesend, Newbury and more.
Mowgli, the Indian street food restaurant group who are backed by investment company Foresight Group, has confirmed that they are looking to further expand and are considering locations including Newcastle, Preston, Bath, Brighton and Coventry. The group, which was founded in 2014 in Liverpool, currently operates 10 restaurants and will open its next restaurant in Bristol later this month followed by new sites in Leeds, Edinburgh and Glasgow next year.
Following the release of their half-year results that saw group revenue up by 17.3%, Watches of Switzerland Group announced they have agreed to buy four luxury watch and jewellery showrooms with Fraser Hart in Stratford, Brent Cross, Kingston and York that will be renamed Watches of Switzerland or Mappin & Webb.
Clintons, the greetings card retailer has been bought out of administration by Esquire Retail, a new company set up by Clintons’ current owners, saving all 2,500 jobs and keeping all 334 stores open.
Planet Organic, the health food and health & beauty retailer, is to enter the food-to-go delivery market via a partnership with premium food delivery service Supper. Launching this week, Planet Organic will start by delivering from two Tottenham Court Road branches offering a selection of food to go and sushi from the in-store Maido sushi bar.
INVESTMENT
M7 Real Estate Investment Partners (REIP), the pan-European investor and asset manager has added three UK retail warehouses to their total of 33 assets. The sites in Swansea, Hull and Birmingham cover around 140,000 sq ft and are let to tenants that include B&M, Wickes, Iceland and Poundland were acquired for £18.4m.
Robinsons Brewery, the sixth-generation family business, has acquired counterpart Individual Inns adding six new pubs to its portfolio. Robinsons, who operates more than 260 tenanted and managed pubs in the north of England and Wales, have acquired: The Masons Arms, Strawberry Bank; The Wheatsheaf, Brigsteer (incorporating Lumley Fee Bunk House); The Spread Eagle, Sawley; The Tempest, Elslack; The Fountaine Inn, Linton and Wheatley Arms, Ben Rhydding strengthening its estate in Cumbria as well as moving into Yorkshire for the first time.
POP-UPS GALORE....
Harrys, the contemporary British footwear retailer is to showcase a range of men’s loafers, chelsea boots and trainers at Pink’s Jermyn Street store. Notting Hill Fish Shop is hosting a festive season pop-up from The Oyster Bar offering a selection of oysters and cheeses along with Ruinart Blanc de Blanc and a selection of white burgundies. Bristol’s West Mall in Clifton Village will see artisan spirit company Bramley & Gorge’s 6 O’clock Gin shop. Also in Bristol, Lone Design Club (LDC) will be offering a range of products and well as personal styling sessions in Cabot Circus. The Haworth Steam Brewery has opened at Debenhams in Leeds offering a selection of gins, tonics and mixers.