The Galleria Outlet Centre - Retail Letting - Hatfield, The Galleria Outlet Centre
Date: 02 Aug 2002
The Galleria Outlet Centre in Hatfield is to welcome Marks & Spencer Outlet as a new anchor tenant of the 46,451 sq m gross (500,000 sq ft) scheme. This will be Marks & Spencer’s closest outlet store to London and the M25.
In a landlord-initiated move, Marks & Spencer will take a new 10-year lease on a 929 sq m (10,000 sq ft) unit previously occupied by Bhs in the Galleria, which is the premier factory outlet centre in the South East of England and the closest major outlet centre to London. Marks & Spencer will pay the higher of a base rent or a turnover percentage.
The decision by Marks & Spencer to become an anchor tenant follows on from recent signings to fashion retailer Mexx (278 sq m / 3,000 sq ft) and to Donnay, the sports equipment manufacturer owned by the highly successful Sports Soccer Ltd retail group, which has taken a 743.2 sq m (8,000 sq ft) unit due to open at the end of the month.
This is the latest factory outlet store for Marks & Spencer in the UK following its decision to enter the sector in November 2000. Shop fitting works on the Marks & Spencer unit begin in August with trading commencing in September.
Comments Michael Stanier, Head of Outlets for Marks & Spencer:
“The outlet industry continues to experience strong growth and attract more and more customers and the acquisition of a unit in the Galleria is a logical result of that. Our outlet stores provide us with a platform from which we can attract new customers to the Marks & Spencer brand and grow our market share. I’m very excited about the prospects for Marks & Spencer Outlet at the Galleria.”
Comments Peter Everest of centre owners WD (Galleria) Ltd:
“The Galleria is now firmly established in the premier league of UK outlet centres and we expect our footfall and sales to grow considerably over the next year as a result. The decision by Marks & Spencer to become an anchor unit at the centre marks a milestone in how retail attitudes about outlet centres - and the Galleria in particular - have changed. The outlet market has matured to the extent that retailers can now see that having an outlet store this close to the capital is a significant advantage.”
The Galleria, which straddles the A1(M) just 21 miles north of London’s Oxford Street (and six miles north of the M25) has a retail footfall exceeding 5 million customers a year – the second highest for an outlet centre in the UK.
Brian Oakwell & Company (020 7287 5066) acted for WD and is the letting agent for The Galleria. Marks & Spencer was represented by Cushman & Wakefield Healey & Baker
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