St. Davids Shopping Centre

Keihl's have opened their new store on Hayes Arcade... Looks smart!

Women's clothing retailer APRICOT are opening their 10th UK standalone store in Cardiff next month! Not sure where, but it's most likely to be in St. Davids.

Lettings are starting to really shape up this year! Nothing overly exciting but better than unoccupied units.

In other news, the Clas Ohlson unit is apparenty going to be spit.

Clas Ohlson unit is apparently going to be spit.

Steady on, it wasn't that bad!

https://www.intugroup.co.uk/media/1428/sd-leasing-plan-27716-v2.pdf

New letting plans (from late July). I think there are some problems with the colour coding on "Cathedral Walk" - where 4 empty units are without named occupiers but shown as "let". But otherwise it shows reasonably healthy demand for currently unoccupied space:

Units in solicitors hands include:
- old Wallis unit on St David's Way
- old Carphone House on Lower Grand Arcade (to be Timberland, we think)
- unit between Oasis and Paloma on Lower Grand Arcade
- unit opposite Shake Shack on Upper Grand Arcade (to be a Thai restaurant)

Units under negotiations:
- old Gilly Hicks
- old Republic/DV8 (to be American Eagle, we think)
- old Guess
- always empty Upper Grand Arcade unit next to John Lewis
- old Kamigata spa unit
- unit between Boux Avenue and Warehouse on Lower Grand Arcade
- old Clas Ohlson unit (which we think may be 2 units)
- unit between BBs and Greggs next to Queens Arcade
- unit between Poundland and Costa on St David's Way

No specific interest
- old Hush Puppies unit Upper Grand Arcade.

https://www.intugroup.co.uk/media/1428/sd-leasing-plan-27716-v2.pdf

New letting plans (from late July). I think there are some problems with the colour coding on "Cathedral Walk" - where 4 empty units are without named occupiers but shown as "let". But otherwise it shows reasonably healthy demand for currently unoccupied space:

Units in solicitors hands include:
- old Wallis unit on St David's Way
- old Carphone House on Lower Grand Arcade (to be Timberland, we think)
- unit between Oasis and Paloma on Lower Grand Arcade
- unit opposite Shake Shack on Upper Grand Arcade (to be a Thai restaurant)

Units under negotiations:
- old Gilly Hicks
- old Republic/DV8 (to be American Eagle, we think)
- old Guess
- always empty Upper Grand Arcade unit next to John Lewis
- old Kamigata spa unit
- unit between Boux Avenue and Warehouse on Lower Grand Arcade
- old Clas Ohlson unit (which we think may be 2 units)
- unit between BBs and Greggs next to Queens Arcade
- unit between Poundland and Costa on St David's Way

No specific interest
- old Hush Puppies unit Upper Grand Arcade.

How long do these things take on average? Will these units reopen in time for peak Christmas shopping?

Looks like 35-37 St Davids Way (currently showing as in sols hands) will be Apricot which I understand to be a ladies outfitter. They have some stores in the south of England and concessions in places like Debenhams etc.

Very interesting! I had a feeling it would replace Wallis... Although their neighbours aren't of a simular nature, the footfall in this area is excellent making it a wise business move! Plus the rents are considerably less in St. David's Way compared to simular sized units in the Grand Arcade! Where did you discover this Karl?

Oh & VS are opening their Cardiff store on September 28th... Just in time for the Student Lock in trade!

There is a planning app for signage

https://www.intugroup.co.uk/media/1428/sd-leasing-plan-27716-v2.pdf

New letting plans (from late July). I think there are some problems with the colour coding on "Cathedral Walk" - where 4 empty units are without named occupiers but shown as "let". But otherwise it shows reasonably healthy demand for currently unoccupied space:

Units in solicitors hands include:
- old Wallis unit on St David's Way
- old Carphone House on Lower Grand Arcade (to be Timberland, we think)
- unit between Oasis and Paloma on Lower Grand Arcade
- unit opposite Shake Shack on Upper Grand Arcade (to be a Thai restaurant)

Units under negotiations:
- old Gilly Hicks
- old Republic/DV8 (to be American Eagle, we think)
- old Guess
- always empty Upper Grand Arcade unit next to John Lewis
- old Kamigata spa unit
- unit between Boux Avenue and Warehouse on Lower Grand Arcade
- old Clas Ohlson unit (which we think may be 2 units)
- unit between BBs and Greggs next to Queens Arcade
- unit between Poundland and Costa on St David's Way

No specific interest
- old Hush Puppies unit Upper Grand Arcade.

How long do these things take on average? Will these units reopen in time for peak Christmas shopping?

To be honest I'd be surprised if all of these open at all. Lots of negotiations fall through - sometimes even when they are in final negotiations. St Davids is currently something like 95% let and occupied which is only a little down on the 96%-97% typical for a centre of this kind. We should always expect about 50k square feet of space to be unoccupied at any one time. We're probably a bit above that now with a number of big units and a bunch of smaller ones empty. But I wouldn't get my hopes up for all the voids being filled.

To be honest I'd be surprised if all of these open at all. Lots of negotiations fall through - sometimes even when they are in final negotiations. St Davids is currently something like 95% let and occupied which is only a little down on the 96%-97% typical for a centre of this kind. We should always expect about 50k square feet of space to be unoccupied at any one time. We're probably a bit above that now with a number of big units and a bunch of smaller ones empty. But I wouldn't get my hopes up for all the voids being filled.

It's funny you should say that... American Eagle Outfitters have withdrawn from negotiations and are no longer opening a Cardiff store. According to my source, rent was the underlying issue. It has been long rumoured that the centre are expecting far too high rent payments! Sad news as this certainly would have been a coup for the city, American Eagle are still expecting to expand elsewhere in the UK.

This leaves UG46/47 available once again!

Is The Range still rumoured to be moving in? If so then I'm disappointed they're turning down the likes of American Eagle but are allowing retail park bric-a-brac stores to set up shop. The main selling point of the Grand Arcade is its relatively classy atmosphere. I always thought Clas Ohlson dragged this down, and we don't need more of the same!