Hammerson announces new extensions and increased occupancy levels
Published: 09 November, 2010
A detailed planning application has been submitted to Birmingham City Council for a 20,000 sq ft extension at the Bullring.
The new scheme called Spiceal Street is set around St Martin’s Square and will create 11,500 sq ft of restaurant units and outdoor space.
Jamie’s Italian opened its first restaurant in the Midlands at Bullring this week and the 7,300 sq ft unit is part of a strategy to attract hi-end casual dining brands and increase dwell time.
Managing director at Hammerson UK Retail, Lawrence Hutchings, said: “Bullring has a fantastic reputation as a centre for fashion and we want to ensure that we deliver the same to consumers as a dining destination. We have had an exceptional response on the scheme from restaurant brands looking for high quality retail space in Birmingham.”
Hammerson also plan to extend a number of their retail parks including Abbey Retail Park in Belfast, Battery Retail Park in Selly Oak, Birmingham and a 20,000 sq m redevelopment of the Orchard Centre, Didcot.
Hammerson have also signed a number of new retail and catering brands including Hugo Boss at Bullring, Poundstretcher at Drakehouse Retail Park in Sheffield and DSGi at the Orchard Centre, Didcot – taking both retail parks to full occupancy.
Overall occupancy in the portfolio increased to from 96.2 per cent to 96.6 per cent between the end of June and end of September and strong trading performance continued in the third quarter, with the UK shopping centre portfolio generating a 5.3 per cent like-for-like sales increase.
