'Broadgate' retail development (ex Lewis's dept. store)

[lazygamer]

Originally Posted by LeedsLad

Property week reporting this now has it's first tennant. Can't access the article though.

http://www.propertyweek.com/news/new...011967.article

It's Sacco Mann (Legal recruitment) who already based on The Headrow.

Tigercom (the 'first' tenant) are apparently moving in April.

[Val Verde]

Could a comeback for Lewis's be on the cards in the future with news today someone called Lewis's Home Retail has taken on TJ Hughes stores in Eastbourne, Glasgow, Liverpool and Sheffield. As said on the Bradford forum it would certainly be very nice to see the return of one of Leeds's former department stores provided it isn't a tatty place (although it would almost certainly wouldn't be at their old site on The Headrow considering the redevelopment which has taken place there of course)? http://www.independent.co.uk/news/bu...l-2330044.html

[Leeds No.1]

Where would it go though? Are there any large(ish) available units in the city? Not sure it's worth worrying about until we have a reason to speculate though.

[lazygamer]

Originally Posted by Val Verde

Could a comeback for Lewis's be on the cards in the future with news today someone called Lewis's Home Retail has taken on TJ Hughes stores in Eastbourne, Glasgow, Liverpool and Sheffield.

I wouldn't hold your breath, Lewis's Home Retail is a trading name of Benross:
http://www.benross.com/

It appears they are a international tat supplier par excellance, and were one of TJ Hughes's largest suppliers. I presume the Lewis's name is either coincidental, intentional or that they genuinely own the right to the "Lewis's" name.

[di Livio]

I miss the art deco windows on Lewis's.

[Val Verde]

Originally Posted by Leeds No.1

Where would it go though? Are there any large(ish) available units in the city? Not sure it's worth worrying about until we have a reason to speculate though.

I guess the only units such a large format retailer (not neccessarily this potential son of TJ Hughes / Lewis's) could open (not counting Trinity or Eastgate) would include potential sites vacated when the Trinity and latterly the Eastgate developments are developed (eg: Next on Albion Street / Bond Street) although I guess the former Borders could make quite a potentially interesting unit for a smallish department store? Also I guess there is a potential for using part of the Merrion Centre site for a large store (im thinking of using the area including and surrounding the former Odeon Cinema / Woolworths / Home Bargains).

However I would presume of course this Lewis's (if they are intent on creating a new chain of stores) would presumably take on existing and recently closed department stores as opposed to constructing new stores from scratch meaning such a venture would quite likely never gain a presence in Leeds.

Originally Posted by lazygamer

I wouldn't hold your breath, Lewis's Home Retail is a trading name of Benross:
http://www.benross.com/

It appears they are a international tat supplier par excellance, and were one of TJ Hughes's largest suppliers. I presume the Lewis's name is either coincidental, intentional or that they genuinely own the right to the "Lewis's" name.

Well I guess you can never say never although I would wonder if bringing back the Lewis's brand name is in a bid to confuse those into thinking they are shopping at a John Lewis. Wonder if there could be any legal ramifications coming from John Lewis although I guess there wouldn't with Lewis's being a once notable retailer of it's own right. Also whilst it could be cheap surely it doesn't have to be nasty? Wonder if anyone is going to ressurect any other former retail names in the future (House of Fraser resurrected the Biba brand in the last year for example)?

Also noticed on the Manchester forum plans showing their proposed store at a former MFI in Bury. Looks rather familiar to me and surely they must have bought the rights to the old Lewis's department store brand considering the branding.

The former Lewis's department store in Liverpool:



The new Lewis's Home store in Bury:



The external branding looks relatively respectable to me imo.

Alternatively I guess it could it just be a case of someone taking on a few stores and selling off the remaining stock then closing down a year or so later ala Head Entertainment at a number of former Zavvi stores (including Leeds) although why bring back a former retail name for such a venture? Still it would be interesting to see if such a venture could possibly succeed in this day and age although surely competition would be stiff.

[Val Verde]

Another office tenant for the Lewis's / Broadgate building with patent and trademark attorneys EIP have chosen Leeds’ Broad Gate development as the base for their first office in the city. http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.u...base_1_3790320

With three tenants named Sacco Mann, Tigercom and now EIP, how much of the presumably sizable available space has been taken up?

[alphaxion]

If only I had a cash mountain... I'd buy it up and convert it into a theatre, sod having the same damn chain stores everywhere.

It's a shame we can't find some wealthy sugar daddies to finance vanity projects across the city - a return to good old Victorian splurging, that's what we need!

Such a shame they only ever seem to be interested in gold plated super yachts and football clubs, they're missing out on such awesome publicity stunts as "building a legacy" by funding the creation of a museum, buying up an entire street and turning it into a world famous boulevard or flattening shithole regions and turning them into landscaped public parks.

These multi-billionaires simply don't have any imagination anymore!

[Leeds No.1]

It's totally true to be honest!

[Suburban Knight]

The tenants are all in the 'Air' office village complex of small suites on the penthouse floor, leaving the vast majority vacant. Shame as it's a truly fantastic space inside, great atrium!

[LeedsLad]

Originally Posted by alphaxion

Such a shame they only ever seem to be interested in gold plated super yachts and football clubs, they're missing out on such awesome publicity stunts as "building a legacy" by funding the creation of a museum, buying up an entire street and turning it into a world famous boulevard or flattening shithole regions and turning them into landscaped public parks.

These multi-billionaires simply don't have any imagination anymore!

[this_city]

Originally Posted by alphaxion

These multi-billionaires simply don't have any imagination anymore!

haha, the lack of slave labour for building projects might also have something to do with it now that they have to pay the minions a decent wage!!

[Damo]

Took advantage of the gloriously sunny weather to take pictures of Broadgate, the new location of the Office where I work, ENVIRON. Hope to have this Google Earth model completed by the weekend (then accepted to Google Earth's 3D Layer a week or two after that......)

[Leeds No.1]

Looks great- good work!

[Damo]

Originally Posted by Leeds No.1

Looks great- good work!

Thanks

[Lad 2011]

I like the Google Earth model damo! keep up the good work mate

[Damo]

Originally Posted by Suburban Knight

The tenants are all in the 'Air' office village complex of small suites on the penthouse floor, leaving the vast majority vacant. Shame as it's a truly fantastic space inside, great atrium!

Looks like the floorplans on the page below shows this is still the case

http://www.broadgateleeds.co.uk/office-space-leeds.asp

Not surprised because the Views from Air are spectacular & there's immediate access to on open central space.

PS. ENVIRON (environcorp), my employer, moved into Suite 6 of Air this Monday leaving 1 office left on level 6 (Tigercom's still next door.....)

[Damo]

Originally Posted by Lad 2011

I like the Google Earth model damo! keep up the good work mate

[Damo]

I've finished the model. Should be on Google Earth's 3D buildings layer within a couple of weeks or so......



http://youtu.be/iV0Eqc8SD7o?hd=1

[Leeds No.1]

Incredible.