Queens Central brings three retailers to Preston
Brookhouse Group has made deals with three new tenants at Queens Central Shopping Park, delivering the retail space across a mix of existing and new-build units.
Smyths Toys has opened its first store in Preston, in a 16,000 sq ft unit on a 20-year lease in a fully refurbished terrace unit which opened in May.
Iceland Food Warehouse have also joined the list of retailers committed to the scheme together with Aldi, The Range, Costa and Energi. Iceland Food Warehouse will take a newly constructed unit of 11,000 sq ft with works having now started on the build. Store opening is planned for November 2018.
Most recently Villeroy & Boch has committed to take a new-build unit of 4,500 sq ft to be created out of a redevelopment of the existing Range Garden Centre area. The bathroom and lifestyle showroom will be built at the front of the park. Works are due to commence by the end of 2018.
Letting agent for Queens Central, Roger Parker said: “Enquiry levels remain strong and the objective is now to select complementary retailers to add to the interesting retail offer. We have a site ready to deliver a further 10,000 sq ft of new-build retail space on which construction works can start virtually immediately and in addition there are six acres still available for bespoke developments.”
A spokesperson from Brookhouse said: “We’re extremely pleased with the transformation at Queens Central over the past 18 months. A high quality public realm together with a strong tenant mix has proved to work as a shop window to attract new retailers as well as retain our existing tenants. With The Range having also re geared their lease the weighted average unexpired lease term for the park is in excess of 14 years which puts us in a strong position.
“Whilst the pace of change in the retail sector is at uncharted levels we do feel that opportunities are still there If the product and mix are presented and managed in the right way. Visitor numbers to the Park have increased by 24% in a period of 12 months. With Smyths and Food Warehouse footfall to add to the mix, 2018 should be yet another very positive year of growth for Queens Shopping Park.”
Brookhouse Group is a family owned investment and development company specialising in the retail, logistics and residential sectors throughout the UK.
