August 8, 2022
Touchwood shopping centre in Solihull has significantly expanded its dining offer with the opening of four new restaurants totalling nearly 10,000 sq ft of space.
The four restaurants will generate a combined annual rent of approximately £350,000, plus additional turnover top-ups, underlining the ongoing demand from eateries for space at Touchwood.
The Real Greek has signed a new 15-year lease on a 3,679 sq ft unit with an external seating area overlooking Jubilee Gardens, while Spanish tapas bar Alioli has opened its maiden restaurant, taking 3,790 sq ft.
In addition, Dirty Wild Wings has launched its first physical outlet, building on the fried chicken brand’s successful online presence to date. The new line-up is completed by Café Artari – an Italian restaurant backed by a team including renowned chef Aldo Zilli that can trace its history back to 1886 – with the introduction of a high-class dining experience located within one of Touchwood’s main atriums.
The new arrivals further widen the dining options at Touchwood, in line with the strategy devised by owner The Ardent Companies UK (“Ardent UK”) and asset manager Sovereign Centros. The centre has also seen notable retailer arrivals this year, with major openings from Tag Heuer, Polestar electric cars, Japanese-inspired lifestyle brand Miniso, premium appliance manufacturer Miele and cosmetics store Rituals.
Ardent UK acquired Touchwood in July 2021, the first major shopping centre acquisition since the onset of the pandemic, after which the centre’s performance has continuously improved, with occupancy hitting 95%.
Andrew Hilston, Managing Director at Ardent UK, commented: “An exciting and varied restaurant offer is absolutely central to what we are trying to achieve at Touchwood, and these new openings are excellent new additions to the range of options we can offer visitors.”
Simon Phipps – Asset Manager, Sovereign Centros added: “Our leasing strategy is focused on giving Touchwood’s customers a wide choice of eateries, both established favourites and independent operators. These arrivals demonstrate not only our continued commitment to this approach, but also the ongoing demand from restaurants for dining space at Touchwood.”
Ardent UK and Sovereign Centros were advised by Cushman & Wakefield and Knight Frank.
