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.