Reid Rose Gregory/ Philip Hughes Davies - Leisure Letting - Cardiff
Date: 22 Feb 2008
Mermaid Quay, Cardiff's premier waterfront leisure destination, continues to diversify its strong tenant mix with a new letting to Herb & Ellie's Bakery & Deli, the first of a new chain of high quality café patisseries incorporating a bakery and delicatessen.
Featuring locally sourced produce, sandwiches and salads with freshly baked artisan breads, pastries and cakes plus gourmet coffee, Herb & Ellie's Bakery & Deli will be the first of its kind in Cardiff. The entrepreneurial proprietors, experienced husband and wife team Daniel and Jill Ronson plan to build a chain of up to five Herb & Ellie's outlets across South Wales over the next two years.
The 170 sq m (1,831 sq ft) store, which is due to open on 3 March 2008, will feature an elegant, eclectic interior with 1960s-vintage leather furniture, exposed reclaimed brick walls, distressed oak flooring and stainless steel fittings. The café will be equipped to seat 48 people alongside the retail & take away operation.
Herb & Ellie's Bakery & Deli owner Daniel Ronson commented: "Mermaid Quay provides the perfect setting for our first outlet. Since selling our highly successful hotel, spa and restaurant business in the Brecon Beacons we have carefully assessed scores of sites around Wales. We realised immediately that Mermaid Quay provided exactly the right context for the deli. It is a top destination for diners, day-trippers and tourists visiting the nearby Wales Millennium Centre and Senedd, or simply taking in the spectacular views across the Bay.
Peter Cooper, Head of Retail Leasing at Schroders, added: "It's a great start to the new year, Herb & Ellie's Bakery & Deli is exactly what Mermaid Quay needs - a high quality environment stocking fantastic, locally sourced food and ingredients. Mermaid Quay has an evolving role in the Bay. As the various new office schemes are completing nearby a significant new catchment of local workers is developing alongside our existing 6 million visitors a year. These new arrivals are very important to us because they provide a steady year round flow of repeat custom and we are refining our tenant mix strategy for 2008 to make sure we are the first choice shopping and eating destination for them at lunchtime and after work.
"This letting is a very appropriate addition to Mermaid Quay because it appeals to the broadest cross section of customers whether they are Bay residents, families, day trippers or office workers. Herb & Ellie's signals a new direction for lettings at Mermaid Quay where we are working hard to develop a vibrant and focussed retail offer relevant to the catchment. The deals we are doing here are all about offer rather than covenant. We have routinely turned down proposals from businesses that look good financially but whose offers won't inspire our customers to come back and spend time in the scheme. We will be announcing the arrival of more new and exciting signings over the next few weeks."
"Mermaid Quay already boasts more than 20 restaurants, cafés and bars, underlining the scheme's position as one of Wales' most successful dining destinations with many restaurants turning over in excess of £30,000 a week. In 2007 this exceptional trading location attracted no less than four A3 operators - Strada, Café Rouge, Gourmet Burger Kitchen and local French restaurant GARÇON! - as well as some exciting new retailers. 2008 is likely to bring a further three new signings in the next month or so.
The 14,000 sq m (150,000 sq ft) retail & leisure scheme is owned by the Schroder Exempt Property Unit Trust.
Letting agents for Mermaid Quay are Reid Rose Gregory and Philip Hughes Davies.
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