Virgin Wines takes 82,000 sq ft in Preston
Owned by the HBD and Feldberg Capital joint venture Origin, the two sheds leased to the online wine retailer are based at the £100m APTUS.
Virgin Wines’ has had a warehouse in Preston for 20 years. The new space will see those operations, as well as those from the company’s Bolton fulfilment centre, relocating to a 26,500 sq ft shed and a 53,800 sq ft facility at APTUS.
The company said it would fully close the Bolton centre by February 2027, at which point all work would have moved to the new Preston location.
In a trading update, Virgin Wines chief executive Jay Wright said: “We are pleased to have agreed a lease for a new warehouse in Preston, streamlining our operations and providing significant synergies and economies of scale, all funded from our strong cash position.”
Virgin Wines’ new Lancashire home is part of the second phase of APTUS, which has an estimated GDV of £20m. Barnfield Construction is currently building the units, with completion due in November.
In addition to the two sheds occupied by Virgin Wines, this second APTUS phase also includes another 26,500 sq ft unit.
Newmark, Young & Co, and Eckersley Property are the agents for the properties.
C4 Projects designed the sheds for HBD, the development arm of Henry Boot.
HBD is delivering APTUS on behalf of Origin through another joint venture with Barnfield. The project team for the second phase included Mode Transport Planning, Iceni Projects, Kingfisher Lighting, and E3P.
You can review the application by searching reference 06/2024/1260 on Preston City Council’s planning portal.
APTUS sits by Junction 31 of the M6 in Preston. The wider project will see more than 790,000 sq ft of industrial and logistics space delivered, with work well underway on the first phase.
The scheme has been engineered with sustainability in mind, with solar panels, EV charging points, and a 15-acre wildlife area included in the designs.
The entire APTUS project has a gross development value of £100m.
The Virgin Wines letting follows a series of lease agreements within the Origin portfolio, including the leasing of 258,300 sq ft at SPARK in Walsall and 53,800 sq ft at Markham Vale in Derbyshire.
Reflecting on the trio of deals, Henry Boot chief executive Ed Hutchinson said: “Securing these significant lettings reflects both the quality of the Origin portfolio and the depth of occupier demand for modern, sustainable industrial and logistics space in well-connected locations.
“Each deal has set new headline rents in its respective location and further supports our confidence in the portfolio’s income and capital growth potential, as we continue to deliver projects aligned with the needs of leading occupiers.”
