Festival Place, Basingstoke announces new names and upsizes

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Sep 20, 2017

Efforts to inject new life into Festival Place, the largest shopping centre in North Hampshire, are bearing fruit, with new and existing retailers demonstrating their commitment to the mall and the number of visitors increasing.

Jewellery brand Swarovski, Australian fashion-jewellery retailer Lovisa, affordable women’s fashion label Apricot and American candle specialist Yankee Candle had signed up to join the line-up of fashion and lifestyle brands at the shopping centre.

Swarovski is taking a 1,300 sq ft unit on Queen Anne’s Walk, while Lovisa will open its first UK store in a 75 sq ft unit at Festival Place. Apricot has agreed on a 5,000 sq ft space, while Yankee Candle will trade in a 1,800 sq ft store.

Ads

The signings complement the retail mix at the centre as existing tenants including River Island and JD announce relocations. Both fashion brands will be moving and upgrading their units, with JD Sports moving to a 7,500 sq ft space in the rejuvenated St. John’s Square and River Island taking over a 9,000 sq ft unit on the lower ground mall to showcase a wider range of its men’s, women’s and childrenswear.

Since January 2016, and the announcement of an ambitious redevelopment plan, some 24 new tenants have opened at Festival Place and 25 existing tenants have renewed their leases. The centre is further boosting its leisure appeal with the upcoming arrival of trampoline brand Flip Out and the re-fit of its 10-screen Vue cinema.

“We’re proud of the quality and variety of these new signings which will further help to strengthen Festival Place’s position as a prime regional shopping and leisure destination,” said Russell Jewell, Head of Private Equity Funds at AEW.

“The rejuvenated centre will consolidate and improve the offer for the local community and attract visitors from the wider Hampshire catchment area. The expansion of leisure will further increase the centre’s appeal to families as well as increase the dwell time. Works are progressing well and we are redefining customer experience as we continue to roll out the centre’s new branding and positioning.”

Located in Basingstoke, the UK’s seventh most affluent town, Festival Place is home to 20 shops and restaurants, including Next, SuperDry, Zara, Apple, River Island, New Look, H&M, Debenhams, M&S and TK Maxx.

It said the ongoing redevelopment has helped boost annual footfall to 22.4 million from 20 million.