Coffee perks up British Land schemes
Published: 30 January, 2011
Starbucks and Caffe Nero open at British Land-operated out-of-town sites
British Land is to open a Starbucks drive-thru at its St James retail park in Northampton. The 1,800-sq ft unit will open in early 2011 and is one of only a few in the UK. It will complement St James Park’s mix of brands, which includes Bhs, Next Home, Mothercare, Homesense and Laura Ashley.
The news follows the successful opening in September of Caffè Nero’s first out-of-town location, a 1,355-sq ft unit at Leamington Spa shopping park; owned by The Crown Estate and Hercules Unit Trust, the specialist retail warehouse fund advised by British Land and managed by Schroders.
Ben Grose, head of retail asset management at British Land, said: “As the popularity of shopping and retail parks amongst ABC1-type consumers grows, catering becomes increasingly important. Good catering, from coffee operators to restaurants, extends a park’s appeal and helps to attract new retailers.”
Morgan Williams was letting agent in Northampton and CBRE and Wilkinson Williams in Leamington Spa. Twenty Retail acted for Caffè Nero.
