Operator confirmed for £10m Liverpool Debenhams venue
Gravity Active Entertainment will operate a 100,000 sq ft leisure destination within the vacant department store at Grosvenor’s Liverpool One, after signing a 15-year lease.
Place North West revealed in November that a large chunk of the 185,000 sq ft former Debenhams would be transformed into an entertainment venue featuring a go-karting track.
In February, plans for the scheme were approved and with Gravity now on board, the venue is due to open before the end of the year.
Gravity will invest £10m in converting the store, its largest investment yet.
The venue will feature an e-karting experience, bowling, and urban golf, as well as restaurants and bars.
Gravity’s Liverpool venue, the company’s 18th overall, will be its flagship site. The company also has venues in Warrington and Wandsworth and aims to operate more than 1m sq ft of space across the country within the next two years, according to Michael Harrison, the firm’s co-founder and chief growth officer.
The venue will feature an e-karting track. Credit: via Aver PR
“This is our biggest investment yet and we are delighted to be collaborating with Grosvenor, at a destination that has continued to perform positively despite the recent market challenges,” he said.
“Gravity is at the forefront of the trend for more leisure-led hospitality experiences and has become a household name. We are particularly excited about Liverpool One, as it is our debut in the heart of a city centre.”
Alison Clegg, managing director of asset management at Grosvenor, added: “This signing reinforces Liverpool One’s credentials as the UK’s leading retail and entertainment destination.
“It also makes great sense to be bringing such an exciting concept to Liverpool as the UK’s most sociable city, it is the perfect home for Gravity.”
Metis and Stärka acted for Liverpool One. Savills represented Gravity.
Do they provide small concession stalls units such as Box park do for fashion conscious customers who attend these events? Might be well worth trialling one or two to add to the experience?
By Lovepool
Certainly better than being empty but hopefully we get some retail on the lower floors (IKEA please) , there is some other activity based venture planned for the Lyceum building too, which is a sign how city centres have to adapt.
Need some more quality offices though and well paid jobs.
By Anonymous
Good news. It’s a big space to fill but more and more live in the city center now so these are good ideas.
By Kenny
Ice Rinc would have been better
By Anonymous
Great Idea for Debebhams! Ice skate rink on the high level roof too to top it off!
By Liverbird