Merepark signs Harvester at Central Village
The developer behind Liverpool's £160m Central Village retail and leisure scheme has signed Mitchells & Butlers to the Lewis's building for a 4,446 sq ft Harvester restaurant.
The restaurant will be spread across the ground and first floors alongside the 14,000 sq ft independent pan-Asian restaurant Cosmo and a 135-seat Prezzo restaurant around a new square. The Mitchells & Butlers deal is the eleventh pre-let at the scheme.
The refurbishment of the Lewis's building, which is partly funded by the European Regional Development Fund, is a central part of the development and will also see the unused upper floors brought back to life as 80,000 sq ft of offices and a 126-bed Adagio apartment-hotel.
Work on the cut-away link through Lewis's from Renshaw Street to the heart of the development is expected to be completed in the next few weeks.
The deal follows news that Indian restaurant Zouk Tea Bar & Grill will take 7,640 sq ft in the 75,000 sq ft Boardwalk building above Central Station. Boardwalk will house a new six-screen Odeon cinema, Handmade Burger Co, Chiquito and Frankie & Benny's.
Neal Hunter, associate director at Merepark, said: "Central Village is attracting a great deal of interest from leisure operators and the development already has a number of further exciting pre-lets in the pipeline."
Work is set to start on the Boardwalk, which overlooks the new public plaza and water feature off, Newington Square later this year.
Developer Merepark is currently on site delivering a 459-space Q-park multi-storey car park, new public space Heathfield, as well as the refurbishment of the Grade II listed Lewis's Building.
Tony Palmer from Mitchells & Butlers said: "We currently have three successful, traditional Harvester restaurants in the Liverpool area, and this letting marks our first move into the city centre. Liverpool has proved itself in recent years as a great area for investment, and with the city region looking set to continue this success combined with the fantastic offering at Central Village, we are delighted to be able to get involved."
Savills and CBRE are advising on the leisure offering for Merepark.
