Retail in Greater Manchester

[kids]

Originally Posted by jrb

Rumour has it that this little beaut at the top of King Street is destined to become a very exclusive up market shopping arcade?!

Here it is, the planning application for the rennovation of 100 Kings st AKA HSBC!

City Centre Ward 076693/FO/2005/C1 14/11/2005 100 King Street City Change of use of bank and offices to residential (use class C1) and retail (use class A1) and elevational alterations comprising retail and ancillary storage space at sub basement, basement ground and mezzanine and 29 no. residential flats on floors 1 to 8 (including roof space) elevational alterations including construction of glass ballustrades and construction of glass extension at seventh floor

[kids]

So if the flats are from floors 1 - 8, where's the retail? Could it be from floors 9-13? I hope so!

[kids]

Oh sorry, there's another one

City Centre Ward 076694/LO/2005/C1 14/11/2005 100 King Street City LISTED BUILDING CONSENT Internal and external alterations in connection with conversion of building for residential and retail uses. Insertion of glass box structure within ground floor banking hall, sub division of floors, creation of 3 no. window openings, construction of glass ballustrades and glass extension at seventh floor level

Glass boxes and extensions eh? Sounds good.

[SleepyOne]

Firstly can that annoying spelling mistake be corrected and the unnecessary and annoying exclamation mark be removed from this thread's title? Cheers.

Four significant retail developments.







1. Arndale Centre Redevelopment (u/c)
First up we have the Arndale's on going £150m transformation

Prudential signs up largest Topshop outside London for Manchester Arndale



01 July 2005

Fashion retailer TopShop, part of the Arcadia Group, is set to open its largest store in the UK outside London as part of the £150million Manchester Arndale redevelopment.

With Next due to open its largest store to date in the centre this October, TopShop has signed up to take a new 45,000 sq ft unit in the northern extension to the centre. The store will be the biggest after its Oxford Circus flagship by some margin and will be located on New Cannon Street, the new glass roofed 'covered street' that is being created as part of redevelopment programme.

"This is a real coup for Manchester", says PruPIM's Leasing Director Chris Pyne. "Like Next, TopShop will trade over three floors anchoring the scheme at both the upper and lower New Cannon Street Malls, giving it a real presence within the centre."



TopShop attracts more than 180,000 shoppers a week, 70 per cent of whom are female aged between 16 and 34. With its focus on up to the minute high street fashions and catwalk styles and stock that is constantly refreshed, TopShop is one of the retail sectors current star performers.

Adds Chris: "Securing a TopShop of this size is a huge endorsement for Manchester Arndale and the city as a whole. TopShop is at the top of the retail game at the moment and fits perfectly with our vision of a vibrant and diverse retail offer at the heart of Manchester."

The opening of the first phase of the extension will be in October 2005 and includes the 150,000 sq.ft. NEXT anchor store. Top Shop will open six months later in phase two, ahead of the final completion of the whole scheme in time for Christmas 2006.

A number of other retailers are also set to have a presence in the centre, with the result that it is now almost 50 per cent pre-let. Pencilled in to join TopShop are fashion retailers Oasis and Jane Norman and Esprit, the international clothing brand. Meanwhile, footwear retailers Dune, Aldo and Stylo Barratt will all be putting their best foot forward with stores on New Cannon Street Mall, due to open at Easter 2006.



Sportswear giant, Nike, plans to become a gateway store to Manchester Arndale with a new unit at the main Exchange Square entrance which will open for trading this October.

SportsWorld is another retailer with big plans. It currently trades from a 2500 sq ft store under its SportsSoccer brand within Manchester Arndale, but has signed up for a 29,000 sq ft store in the third phase of the scheme, which is due to open in time for Christmas trading 2006.

2. Royal Exchange Redevelopment (u/c)
Another potentially significant development that has been quietly taking place (and relatively unheralded) in the city centre over the past year. Could add another significant dimension to Manchester's shopping offer when complete. Lot of text here, taken from Orm Retail's marketing brochure.

Royal Exchange, Manchester




ABOUT THE BUILDING
The first Royal Exchange was built in 1729. Soon thereafter, market days became established on Tuesdays and Fridays, when people would meet to do business and exchange news. The Royal Exchange, which was expanded and rebuilt on several occasions, attracted manufacturers, merchants, engineers, shippers, bankers and insurers. Each column in the central Exchange area was marked on one side with letters and on the other with numbers. Members would occupy a position indicated by the coordinates of a letter and a number, like a grid reference on a map. Thus the textile machinery company of J & H Schofield Limited would meet at J2. Business would spill out on to the streets and into the neighbouring cafés and pubs.

It was an international gathering and dazzling whilst it lasted. By the late 1920s, the Royal Exchange had 11,000 members worldwide and it revelled in its status as a forum for international trade. Its heyday was shortlived, however. Irrevocable change was brought about with the fall of its mainstay, the UK cotton industry, and by the severe bomb damage sustained during the Second World War.

Reconstruction took 13 years, and the new Central Hall was reduced to half its original size. The Royal Exchange was no longer viable and closed on 31 December 1968. The City was forced to address the question as to how best to use the building. The shops and offices around the perimeter produced good rents yet the vast Central Hall lay empty. The space was ideally suited to a theatre and, after a vigorous campaign, the Royal Exchange Theatre was opened by Laurence Olivier on 15 September 1976. It has been a success ever since, acclaimed as much for the immediacy of its in-the-round auditorium as for its extensive repertoire and top rank actors.

The design of the Theatre is a bold response to the potentially overwhelming space around it. Conceived by Richard Negri and Levitt Bernstein Associates, it makes a high-tech and powerful statement, akin to a lunar module suspended beneath the great dome of the Central Hall. The remainder of the Central Hall was leased to Boots the Chemist as their main store in Manchester.

Boots vacated the Royal Exchange in the 1970s. The former store was subdivided into units and let as a specialist shopping centre. From the mid 1980s, the Royal Exchange Shopping Centre was the focus for contemporary fashion in the north west and a destination for specialist retailing.

The Royal Exchange incubated emerging designers of the calibre of Wayne Hemingway, who opened his first ‘Red or Dead’ shop here. In June 1996 the building was severely damaged by the IRA bomb attack. Two years and £30m later, the entire building reopened after substantial refurbishment. The Theatre was enlarged and a new Studio Theatre created. Over that period, however, most tenants had been forced to relocate or had lost their business; the retailing momentum
was lost.

EXISTING SPACE
The Shopping Centre is located on the site of the original Exchange Hall, which was heavily damaged during the Second World War. Whilst the extension for the Theatre survived the IRA bombing in 1996 to remain among Manchester’s architectural jewels, the original Hall has never regained its original splendour.




DESIGN CONCEPT
The new proposals will bring back the style and architectural quality of the original building, and will reflect its external grandeur.


CENTRAL COURT
The focus of the new Shopping Centre will be a double-height atrium, of which the main architectural features will match the neoclassical façades. Four pairs of grand Corinthian columns will support the existing barrel vaulted roof light, to reinforce the sense of scale and grandeur. At the centre of this space a light sinuous staircase will lead to the first floor. In front of the stair, a generous, traditionally crafted mahogany and zinc bar set on a new marble floor with a regular geometric pattern will become the focus of the new space. In contrast to these classically detailed elements, the
shop fronts, ceilings, floors, furniture, balustrades and signage will all be designed in an entirely contemporary style, in steel and glass, as if they were inserted into an existing, traditional interior, redolent of the architectural elements in
the Theatre Hall next door.


THE MALLS
The malls will be designed in a contemporary palette of light limestone colour floor and clear span ceilings. The high degree of illumination will diminish the difference in lighting between the malls and the naturally-lit entrances and Central Court. The existing small shop units will be consolidated into fifteen larger units varying in size between 400 sq. ft and 1000 sq. ft. Each unit will have a stair leading to a dedicated storage space downstairs. The shop fronts will be designed in minimalist, frameless low iron glazing to afford uninterrupted views into the shops. The tenants’ fit-out
proposals will be tightly controlled to ensure that they complement the high quality mall environment. The shop fascias will be discreet and uniform in style to emphasise the boutique arcade character of the new malls.

FIRST FLOOR
The sweeping staircase and lift will lead to the first floor landing which will give access to a large, open brasserie or restaurant to the left and an exclusive spa to the right. Both the restaurant and the spa will be open to the Central Court,
overlooking the bar and the malls.

ENTRANCES
Great care will be taken to ensure that the new design for the entrances is in balance with the order of the existing external façades. This will be achieved mainly through the sensitive use of new materials, signage and lighting, in harmony with the existing external design.



LEASEING STRATEGY
The commercial strategy for the Royal Exchange is to create a high quality retail, restaurant and spa destination. The proposed alterations will open up the shopping centre to bring life into the heart of the scheme and facilitate public access, recreating a sense of a civic forum, where people will congregate to eat, drink, conduct business and socialise. The challenge in delivering this scheme today is to preserve the identity of the building as the historic centre of commerce in Manchester, whilst providing modern accommodation capable of meeting the needs of tomorrow’s retail, restaurant and spa operators.

RESTAURANT
The Central Court will act as a focal point to the refurbished scheme and will create a ‘sense of place’. The bar/brasserie will be accommodated here at ground floor to assist in increasing dwell time and to facilitate pedestrian flow through the malls. The operator will also trade at first floor, where the finishing kitchen is located; back of house is accommodated in the basement. The architects have designed a method of linking the restaurant to the Royal Exchange Theatre and negotiations are underway. To promote this, Quintain will be seeking to pre-let the restaurant by the end of 2004.

HEALTH & BEAUTY SPA
There is clearly synergy between a good quality brasserie or restaurant, and a well established health & beauty spa brand. This will be a dry spa focusing on relaxation therapies, body treatments and beauty products with fragrances. A retail unit at ground floor may provide an additional sales and reception area. Ancillary accommodation including customer WCs will be located at basement level. Quintain will be seeking to pre-let the spa by the end of 2004.

RETAIL
Quintain will be seeking to attract new entrants to the Manchester marketplace, as well as appealing to overseas retailers, and regional retailers deemed ‘best in sector’. Quintain will target the best retailers from the quality and high end sectors: gifts, jewellery and accessories are particularly welcome as they may be accommodated in
small and medium sized boutiques. Quintain will be seeking to complete pre-lettings by March 2005.

ANCILLARY SPACE
The basement and sub basement levels will accommodate ancillary space for the retail, restaurant and health and beauty spa. The customer WCs for the scheme will also be accommodated in the first of these subterranean levels. However, there is also c. 8000 sq. ft of open ‘flexible space’ which could operate as a gym orperhaps members club amongst others uses.

3. HSBC Building, King Street (proposal)
Long rumoured development at the top of King Street in another of Manchester's most imposing buildings. HSBC have been searching for new premises and a planning application for this development came in last week.

City Centre Ward 076693/FO/2005/C1 14/11/2005 100 King Street City
Change of use of bank and offices to residential (use class C1) and retail (use class A1) and elevational alterations comprising retail and ancillary storage space at sub basement, basement ground and mezzanine and 29 no. residential flats on floors 1 to 8 (including roof space) elevational alterations including construction of glass ballustrades and construction of glass extension at seventh floor

City Centre Ward 076694/LO/2005/C1 14/11/2005 100 King Street City
LISTED BUILDING CONSENT Internal and external alterations in connection with conversion of building for residential and retail uses. Insertion of glass box structure within ground floor banking hall, sub division of floors, creation of 3 no. window openings, construction of glass ballustrades and glass extension at seventh floor level

4. Spinningfields
Could Spinningfields become another retail destination within the city centre? Certainly in the long run with the city centre expanding in all directions, the already established retail pitch along mile-long Deansgate and with Allied London keen to push the retail potential of their scheme, does this area have the potential to provide the 'missing retail link' between the Southern Gateway and the traditional retail core?

Retail



Its retail and leisure components have been designed to create a new city centre quarter. Every building will have an active ground floor frontage and the masterplan creates themed districts with integrated retail and leisure areas, all working to complement the city centre's existing and expanding retail offer.



Spinningfields will be a living and working community during the day, evenings and at weekends.

[jrb]

Foreign retailers target high street

A NEW wave of jet set international retailers is about to land in Manchester.

The city is the target for some of the world's top name retailers, say property experts.

The north west's property market is to receive a boost from the retailers snapping up units in prime locations, according to international property advisors DTZ.

DTZ's retail team in Manchester is acting as adviser on the UK expansion programme of Europe's largest shoe retailer Deichmann. They have confirmed that the firm is on the hunt for thousands of square feet of retail space as it looks to open 15 UK stores next year.

Founded in 1913, Deichmann has 1,600 stores across 12 countries and sells around 83 million pairs of shoes worldwide. It acquired its first UK stores in 2001. The business is now set to double the 15 UK stores it currently has.

It is looking at suitable units in Manchester, Wigan, Warrington and Birkenhead.

Foothold

Deichmann is not alone in its desire to target the UK high street. DTZ says that despite tough trading conditions on UK high streets, international retailers are clamouring to establish a strong foothold in the north west.

Among them Norwegian fashion retailer Bik Bok is planning to roll-out its chain across the UK following a successful debut store in London's Covent Garden.

North American retailers are also targeting the UK's large regional centres. Fashion retailer Urban Outfitters have recently opened a prime unit on Market Street within Manchester to complement units in London, Birmingham, Glasgow and Dublin and the firm has more stores planned over the coming months.

These firms are set to follow in the footsteps of Continental retailers such as Zara, Mango and H&M which are performing strongly and have successfully established themselves as high street mainstays.

Gary Crompton, senior surveyor at DTZ, said: "Historically high streets in the north west have been dominated by UK chains and home-grown independents.

"Deichmann's significant requirements are just the beginning when you look at the potential demand from previously unheard of international retailers.

"High street trends continue to shift and this influx of popular retailers will benefit the north west's high street with experienced operators that complement existing offerings.

"Typically these retailers have strong propositions and solid trading strategies which have been adapted successfully to numerous countries on different continents.

"This successful formula will help them quickly establish themselves."

[jrb]

in todays MEN.

[highriser]

Originally Posted by highriser

The ground floor unit at the 1 Portland St is being fitted out it say's Dainese is opening soon .

i mentioned this last month,,appently it's an Italian sportswear shop,looks like its going to be opening very soon,,

[jrb]

Todays Planning apps.

Royal Exchange Shopping Centre refit gets approval!

http://www.publicaccess.manchester.g...761/FO/2005/C1

[SleepyOne]

which application is this jrb? The Royal Exchange refurbishment has been well underway for about a year now. What does this permission relate to?

[jrb]

Originally Posted by SleepyOne

which application is this jrb? The Royal Exchange refurbishment has been well underway for about a year now. What does this permission relate to?

Info on planning app.

077761/FO/2005/C1 28/11/2005 Royal Exchange Shopping Centre Exchange Street Manchester M2 7TT Change of use to A1, A3 and A4 at ground floor, A3 and D1 at Exchange and and first floor level, an... Application Approved

[jrb]

Work has started on the new Trafford Centre extension across the road on the Giant fields site.

Workmen and drilling machines, etc on site.

[jrb]

Festive sales give Lowry mall a boost



Lowry Outlet Mall RETAILERS at the Lowry Outlet Mall are celebrating after the busiest Christmas ever led to a massive hike in sales.

In the week leading up to Christmas, sales at the outlet were up 18.5 per cent on last year, and across the festive period retailers reported an average growth of nine per cent.

Many retailers said they had experienced their most successful holiday season since the shopping centre opened in 2001, with sales up as much as 105 per cent at fashion jeweller Mikey.

The pre-Christmas rush was the climax to a year of solid progress for most companies at the mall, who have benefited from increased consumer demand for value-for-money prices and factory outlet shopping centres.

North west-based high achievers were Altrincham's Cotton Traders, where sales grew 28 per cent, and soft furniture retailer Buddha Bag, which saw a 50 per cent jump in sales at its flagship shop.

Marks & Spencer, Lowry's anchor store had reasons to be cheerful too after shifting 10 per cent more stock, and Claire's Accessories, Donnay, Virgin XS and Julian Graves all reported between 24 and 40 per cent growth.

Centre manager, Robert Hallworth, said: "With our brand awareness now higher than ever, our retailers are seeing great results and we are gearing up for an even better 2006.

"Customers are willing to spend when they realise how far their money can go in an outlet."

[jrb]

End of the road for Virgin Cars

SIR Richard Branson has closed Virgin Cars less than three years after it was launched in Salford to "revolutionise" the European car market.

The first showroom opened on Windsor Street, Pendleton, in May 2003 after the company sold more than 12,000 cars on the internet. It called itself "the world's first vehicle department store".

A notice on the firm's website says it has ceased trading but orders already placed will be processed.

No one was available for comment from Virgin but it is estimated that at least 20 jobs have been lost at the showroom.

Sir Richard came to Salford for the launch and said at the time: "For so long car retailing was tightly controlled by the manufacturers and we lobbied hard for change at Brussels.

"Here today you see the blueprint for the future of vehicle buying, and Virgin Cars is at the forefront of it."

The 2,800-square metre "megastore" offered 25 brands of cars, as well as motorbikes and vans.

Themes

The new to one-year-old models were initially grouped by themes such as "thrills", "crowd pleasers" and "adventure". Virgin Cars promised no hard sell and no jargon. Another store was later opened at Hemel Hempstead, but the business was predominantly an online operation.

The Pendleton showroom faced tough competition from Car Land and Toyota forecourts both within 50 yards. But its location at the start of the M602 was considered to be ideally placed for customers.

The closure is another blow to the local economy. The store was close to Ordsall where last year 500 jobs were axed at Colgate Palmolive. Another 180 jobs are under threat with the expected closure of a Whitbread distribution depot.

Councillor Norman Owen, leader of Salford's Liberal Democrats, said: "This is a real setback, losing a company with such a prestigious name from Salford."

The demise of Virgin Cars is seen as a vivid example of the recession within the car industry.

It was a business based on selling large numbers of cars with small profit margins. It could effectively stock whatever cars it wanted free from the restraints of franchised dealerships, but still failed to make enough profit.

[SleepyOne]

A nighttime shot of Kendals - a Manchester icon!




I will be interested to find out how Spinningfields will extend the shopping core westwards.

[jrb]

Ilva's Manchester store.(Piccadilly Basin)

2 small renders.



http://www.tcs-plc.com/develop_port/...evelopment.htm

[jrb]

First glimpses of the new interior?

Quintain Appoints Mission Control

Quintain Estates and Development PLC has appointed Mission Control to install, manage and create content for a digital signage solution in the new Royal Exchange Shopping Centre, Manchester. Using Future Software DigiShow products, Mission Control plans to deliver HD content to wow the customers and create a unique shopping environment in the centre of the retail core.

[kids]

Originally Posted by jrb

First glimpses of the new interior?

Quintain Appoints Mission Control

Quintain Estates and Development PLC has appointed Mission Control to install, manage and create content for a digital signage solution in the new Royal Exchange Shopping Centre, Manchester. Using Future Software DigiShow products, Mission Control plans to deliver HD content to wow the customers and create a unique shopping environment in the centre of the retail core.

wow, lovely. is this a speperate room to the main chamber?

[jrb]

Yep that's right.

A beach shop in sunny Manchester.



A ray of holiday sunshine was brought to the Piccadilly Partnership this week when Beach Stop was welcomed in as a partner. The shop, which is located in 1 Piccadilly Gardens, provides beach and holiday accessories all year round. As well as a forthcoming website, Beach Stop now has its own microsite on the Piccadilly Partnership website where customers can access information and promotions. Click here to view the microsite.


Beach Stop is the perfect one stop shop to find holiday accessories for the whole of the family at any time of year – and is a great place to shop for swimwear and accessories for your spring or summer holiday, providing everything you could need under one roof without having to battle the crowds of Market Street.

As well as a fantastic range of swimwear, Beach Stop also stocks beach shoes, sarongs, sunglasses, hats, sun protection creams and swimming aids, as well as other holiday treats such as sun shimmering make-up and shell jewellery. Beach Stop also provide in store beauty services, perfect for pre holiday pampering or just as an anytime pick me up.

[ForeverSalfordRed]

Originally Posted by jrb

Yep that's right.

A beach shop in sunny Manchester.



A ray of holiday sunshine was brought to the Piccadilly Partnership this week when Beach Stop was welcomed in as a partner. The shop, which is located in 1 Piccadilly Gardens, provides beach and holiday accessories all year round. As well as a forthcoming website, Beach Stop now has its own microsite on the Piccadilly Partnership website where customers can access information and promotions. Click here to view the microsite.


Beach Stop is the perfect one stop shop to find holiday accessories for the whole of the family at any time of year – and is a great place to shop for swimwear and accessories for your spring or summer holiday, providing everything you could need under one roof without having to battle the crowds of Market Street.

As well as a fantastic range of swimwear, Beach Stop also stocks beach shoes, sarongs, sunglasses, hats, sun protection creams and swimming aids, as well as other holiday treats such as sun shimmering make-up and shell jewellery. Beach Stop also provide in store beauty services, perfect for pre holiday pampering or just as an anytime pick me up.

Looks good. Nice to see the jolly old UK getting into traditional Aussie culture.

[Metrolink]

That beech shop has been there for ages, must be about a year now.