February 24, 2014
intu Potteries has signed the first three restaurants for its new £20 million catering and leisure extension, introducing Chiquito and Gourmet Burger Kitchen to Stoke on Trent for the first time and strengthening Frankie & Benny’s presence in the area. The trio will join Cineworld who were confirmed as the leisure anchor for the scheme two months ago.
Chiquito, the UK’s largest Tex-Mex restaurant and bar chain, will open a 4,500 sq ft unit with its first restaurant in the city whilst American/Italian 50s style diner Frankie & Benny’s will open a 4,500 sq ft unit. Both have signed 25 year leases. High end burger specialist Gourmet Burger Kitchen will open a 2,500 sq ft unit after signing a 15 year lease for their space.
The trio of deals will be followed soon by the announcement of the two remaining catering names as intu confirms the full line-up for the new 60,000 sq ft extension.
Wates has been appointed as contractor and will start on site 3 March this year, with the restaurants due to open in August 2015.
Martin Breeden, asset management director at intu, said, “intu Potteries is the main retail and leisure destination for the six towns of Stoke-on-Trent which attracts an annual footfall of 12 million from its catchment of 1.1 million people. It’s currently under-served in terms of catering and we are confident that the leisure extension will be a great success.”
Stephen Evans, development director of Gourmet Burger Kitchen, said: “We have been targeting prime shopping centres with exciting new catering hubs and the new intu Potteries’ catering and leisure extension is a perfect fit for our premium burger brand, targeted as it is to the family market that intu Potteries serves.”
Jonny Buckle, senior acquisition manager at The Restaurant Group, which operates both Chiquito and Frankie & Benny’s, said: “It looks like its going to be another really strong dining location from intu which has given us a great opportunity to introduce Chiquito to the city and further re-inforce our presence with Frankie & Benny’s too.”
intu Potteries was represented by Lunson Mitchenall while The Restaurant Group, which trades as Frankie & Benny’s, and Chiquito were both advised by Savills. CWM advised Gourmet Burger Kitchen.
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