Cardiff Retail

Would have sounded better if they sold carpets

Future of the Capitol Centre is looking really rather ropey again.

a) When the new cinema signed, there was talk of interest from new restaurants.What's happened to this? Nothing as far as I can see. Perhaps because you can't access the cinema from the centre and vice versa. You could before with the Odeon!

b) More stores look set to close in the near future...
H&M supposedly in two weeks time..
Jaeger's lease is up in March 2016 (and they are seeking to get out now)
Hobb's lease is up in 2018 (and they are seeking to get out now)
Austin Reed's lease is up in 2018 (and they are seeking to get out now.. actually, have they gone already?)

Will a bit (and expensive) remodelling to open up to Queen St station help it? (It should have always faced that way in the first place!) Or would that be tipping good money after bad?

Queen St lettings also appear to be quite weak at the moment. The quoting rent on the old Gap unit at the entrance to Queens Arcade is less than half of the rateable value - which is an estimate of what it could rent for in April 2008. And its still empty.

Austin Reed is gone. You can actually access the cinema from the centre via a door near upstairs in H&M. There's not a lot of advertising to suggest this though, just a rather plain notice saying "Cinema".

I think with H&M gone (and Austin Reed) it's the perfect opportunity to convert that whole stretch of the centre into food outlets.

Having said that, I'm afraid they may just quickly find a retailer to fill it. I believe BHS is still open to the idea of a Cardiff store once more?

(With regards to the Gap unit on Queen Street... that has a tenant at the moment in the form of Envy which used to be where Chopstix is a few doors down.

Ah, thats the same door to the cinema they used to have then! They should make much more of it... if possible, turn it into a second main entrance (by adopting some of the space just outside, putting in a ticket booth, etc..). And encourage people to park in the centre by giving some sort of free parking deal if people go to the cinema and eat at a restaurant there (if they can get restaurants!).

In terms of the H&M unit, I think I would prefer a store like BHS, or more realistically, Wilkinsons? - would get some daytime custom and footflow back. And then have restaurants upstairs near the entrance to the cinema.

Little bits of news from outside the city centre - B&Q on Hadfield Road is due to close 'within the next year' as part of cost cutting measures by its owners. A Costa Coffee drive through is opening next to TGI Friday's Newport Road in the corner of the old CarpetRight unit and the Morrisons Local which opened on Cowbridge Road East less than a year ago ha now been re-branded as a 'Local' store as Morrisons recently sold off that arm of its business.

Queen's Arcade 'fully let'

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/c ... e-10370291

I hate to put dampener on their celebrations but when I walked through there on Saturday it looked to me like several stores are Blue Star and the ilk. Basically temporary cheapo shops. Granted better than empty but not the sort of tenants you'd ideally want. There are also two empty units downstairs.

I assume Envy in the old Gap unit is also temporary as the signage looks like it cost £10 in the print shop.

Nothing wrong with "cheapo shops," we don't all have either the cash or the inclination to shop at Vivienne Westwood or Kurt Geiger.

I presume the plan to open a Wilkinsons in the Queens Arcade has died a death?

So H&M have closed their doors at the Capitol for the very last time! I spoke to one of the staff today and she told me that the new St. Davids store is bigger than the existing store and Capitol store put together which is why they've decided to close it.

She also told me that a bowling alley operator are interested in occupying the H&M unit as the Capitol are picturing a leisure complex for the future! She said theres a few food outlets lined up for the centre...

Hmm i wonder how much truth are behind these rumours?

It's supposed to be the biggest H&M in the UK which is pretty impressive if you've seen the Oxford Circus and Regent Street stores.

I'm guessing that they got a fantastic deal from St. David's to take that space and that it's hoped to be a catalyst to lease the remaining large units on the upper floor.

A gigantic new music shop has opened at the entrance to Wyndham Arcade (the one that was planned to be a Morrisons Local), specialising in guitars, amps and keyboards. Clearly rumours of the death of guitar bands were greatly exaggerated.