B&M makes Arndale move
The discount retailer will open in the former Wilko store at the Manchester shopping centre later this year.
B&M said in September last year it would take on up to 51 Wilko locations as it struck a £13m deal with administrator PwC.
The group said the Arndale store will offer a comprehensive product range including home goods, groceries, electronics and seasonal items.
Recent leasing activity at Manchester Arndale includes retail lettings to Space NK, Dune, Moss, The North Face, and Sunglass Hut. F&B deals have been agreed with Black Sheep Coffee, Krispy Kreme, and Lazy Sundae.
Steve Gray, head of European retail asset management at Global Mutual, said: “We’re delighted to welcome such a strong household name like B&M to Manchester Arndale. We place great importance in having a truly mixed offer and its fantastic to be able to bring in a retailer that offers a wide array of products at accessible prices.
“From high-end fashion brands to discount retailers, its clear operators across the board have long-term confidence in the centre as Manchester Arndale continues to cement its reputation as the North West’s leading retail destination with a varied line up of exciting retail, F&B and leisure.”
This is good news, as the city centre has lacked a store selling useful bits and bobs since Wiko went under; also Clas Ohlson and the Home Bargains fairly briefly in Piccadilly Gardens both closing.
That being said, The Range is now a closer fit to Wilko for stuff like DIY; hopefully they will roll out some more town/city centre stores like the one in former Debenhams in Bury, having bought the Wilko brand.
By Anonymous
Needed!
By Anonymous
You wouldn’t want this in Liverpool One or Leeds Trinity but it’s a good fit for the arndale
By Anonymous
The Arndale centre is such a horrible place to shop and has such a blighting effect on the city centre, it always makes my heart sink when I hear of yet another store relocating into this depressing structure.
By Anonymous
The SkyscraperCity fanboys rant and rave about the Arndale, but it’s always busy, covered shopping centres work very well in the Mancunian climate (nobody has ever suggested taking the roof off the Trafford Centre), it’s had consistent investment over the years, and when the right sized units come up, they get filled.
It’s not by any means perfect – I’d get rid of the Market Street bridge any day – but nobody will be paying to replace retail space that’s still in demand with more retail space which won’t bring in more than the current rents.
Liverpool One is far from delightful when the sun isn’t shining or it’s raining – which is often – has a fairly high turnover, and isn’t exactly New Bond Street.
By Rotringer
The Arndale does need a nice new centre in its place.
But Liverpool One is absolutely rotten some days. Overrated unfortunately.
By Anonymous
The Arndale apologists (perhaps those who have a vested interest in the building or are responsible for its obvious flaws), love to set up straw men arguments or simply refer to how busy it is as a metric to support continued inaction.
It’s so busy because it’s the only show in town, not because it’s inherently well designed. That in itself should be a hint for what’s wrong with it. It’s too dominant, too inward looking and poorly integrated into the city and because of that it prevents retail from thriving in other parts of the city centre. The very fact that many brands are not represented in the city centre or choose other locations such as Sephora choosing the Trafford Centre only emphasies how damaging it is. Its inward-looking nature also makes the experience of walking in or around the building a truly depressing one. I am embarrassed bringing visitors to the area and I feel sorry whenever I see tourists trying to navigate in or around the place. I wish it didn’t exist.
By Anonymous