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Wandering around Newcastle recently with my family, I was struck by both what a great place the city centre is and perhaps even more exciting, the opportunities for the North East property sector to tap even further into the competitive socialising explosion sweeping the country.

The popularity of competitive socialising is spreading far and wide. In London, Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh, York and across other cities in the UK, we are seeing a proliferation of city centre-based activities and events that people of all ages can enjoy – from millennials to the post-war baby boomers – with repurposed premises now the new-age crucibles for fantastic experiences and memories that linger.

So, what is competitive socialising? Competitive socialising is part of the new entertainment zeitgeist; it’s everywhere – and millions of people are taking advantage. Creative and ambitious businesses are starting up and investing in redeveloping vacant high street outlets and reimagining venues that deliver immersive, visceral experiences to take people to exciting new levels of fun and frolics, all accompanied by food and drink as secondary offerings.

From padel (indoor tennis) and axe throwing through to virtual reality skydiving and indoor speed climbing to gaming and cricket, these activities are becoming hugely popular with predictions for continued strong growth in the years to come.

While the North East hasn’t perhaps been as quick off the mark as other parts of the country in coming forward with a compelling narrative for competitive socialising, this situation is now changing as more and more entrepreneurs look to follow in the footsteps of indoor bowling operator Lane 7, Junkyard Golf and Point Blank Shooting among other trailblazers. They have all seen their businesses flourish in recent times (despite Covid) as families and friends flock to their venues to try out exciting new experiences, have fun and spend their hard-earned cash.

In Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham and Middlesborough we are currently seeing a burgeoning list of active property requirements from companies keen to join the fun with a range of fresh, innovative and memorable indoor activities.

Retail is no stranger to change and has faced many challenges. However, it has always had the capacity to move with the times and adapt to changing consumer habits and different tastes. And in today’s uncertain economic climate, it’s no different. Our own North East leisure sector can and is responding to the changing times, with more and more operators moving to offer those consumers who yearn for new experiences a whole world of exciting and fun activities – many of which are virtual reality based – to attract them into our city centres.

The North East may not have the best climate in the world, so more indoor family friendly facilities would not go amiss for those rainy days. And as our entrepreneurs and start-ups continue to take on the challenge of making more creative use of retail spaces (Lane 7 will soon open for business in Middlesbrough Captain Cook Shopping Centre and Durham, with other leisure proposals alongside), we can only anticipate lots more competitive socialising coming to down the track to venues near you, with top-quality food and beverage options all part of a seamless, unique customer experience.

For clients such as retro videogame bar operator Four Quarters, the @retail team is busy advising on a host of relevant and genuinely unique regional properties – so they can steal a march on the competition. Watch this space for more on that!

So, as I think back to my recent visit to Newcastle city centre with the family, the future for the North East really is bright. The chance is there for the taking for those with drive, enthusiasm and fantastic ideas to write a new chapter in the region’s long and distinguished retail and leisure story.

To discuss further, please get in touch with me at iant@atretail.co.uk

Two retail showrooms have opened on Wearside after @retail swiftly secured new occupiers for a Teesside-based property company.

Wynsors World of Shoes and Easy Bathrooms have expanded their branch networks after signing leases on premises at Roker Avenue in Sunderland. The deals follow an extensive refurbishment, undertaken earlier this year, to reconfigure the units and install new staff facilities.

Sarah Newton, senior estates surveyor at Cable Properties, which has owned the units since 2015, said: “We’re very pleased with the calibre of tenant we’ve been able to attract as a result of @retail’s experience, knowledge and contacts in the North East retail sector.

“We have always believed that the site has great potential and we are very pleased to be able to complete phase one, welcoming well-known brands that have directly enhanced the development.”

In the next phase, it is hoped that a neighbouring vacant plot will accommodate a new retail warehouse, and plans are currently being drawn up to move the project forward.

David Wilson, group property manager at Wynsors World of Shoes, said of the move to Sunderland, which marks an increase in the company’s retail portfolio to 45 stores: “After 12 years at Peel Retail Park in Washington, we were eager to source a unit in nearby Sunderland. This site was put to us by @retail and is a perfect size to help accommodate further recruitment once the store is established.

“We’ve worked closely with Ian Thurlbeck and @retail for many years and their knowledge of the property market, especially in the North East, has proven invaluable to us in expanding our retail offering in the area. We now operate from sites in Hartlepool, Gateshead, Stockton and Longbenton in addition to the new Sunderland store, which already employs a team of seven.”

Ian Thurlbeck added: “In both instances, the lettings were finalised remarkably quickly in order to get these sites occupied and both retailers open for business. The deals really do illustrate that there’s always strong interest in good retail space, in the right location!”

Cable Properties is a family-owned company with a multi-sector portfolio extending from Glasgow to London, with the majority of its holdings located in the North East and Yorkshire.

Sanderson Weatherall acted as joint letting agent in both deals. The refurbishment was delivered by Northpoint Architects and Robertson Simpson.

Government plans to shake up the high street are short-sighted and raise huge concerns.

Under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, landlords will be compelled to let out retail units that have been vacant for longer than six months. Ministers hope to reduce the number of boarded-up shops while creating new opportunities for local small businesses and community groups as well as helping increase footfall and spending in town centres.

But the move has met with swingeing criticism by Ian Thurlbeck, director at @retail, who says it’s an unrealistic proposal that fails to take into account regional differences and could see hundreds of empty properties auctioned off to unscrupulous tenants.

“This short-sighted scheme fails to address some fundamental issues, placing the burden directly on property owners and feeding off the general sense of mistrust by people in so-called ‘greedy” landlords,” Ian Thurlbeck says.

“It raises many unanswered questions. For instance, what if the tenant who wins the auction is a rogue, pays none of the outgoings and trashes the property – who picks up the bill then? And do the local authorities tasked with running the auctions have the requisite experience and expertise? Will they be willing to take responsibility if things go wrong?

Ian Thurlbeck says that while there are fewer retail operators requiring high street space than previously, the perception of hundreds of North East high streets facing terminal decline is simply untrue.

“There is a popular misconception that our high streets are littered with empty shops, leading to a downward spiral of neglect, decay and blight,” he says. “This is not the case and here in the North East, we see many high streets that are thriving and as busy as anywhere else in the country.

“Moreover, regional vacancy rates are in line with national trends and in our experience, high street retail activity in Newton Aycliffe, Durham City, Bishop Auckland, Peterlee, Chester le Street, Stanley, Consett, Seaham and Crook among other places, where we have lately updated the council with vacancy rates for these town centres, remains robust.

“There are pockets within some of these town centres where vacancy rates exceed the national average, but I would say that this is as much a national issue as it is a North East one.”

Blaming landlords for long term retail vacancies is also unrealistic, Thurlbeck adds, because landlords cannot afford to have their properties lying empty for extended periods – @retail has seen 99% of landlords keen to see their property let.

He says: “The alternative is to suffer the cost of rates, repairs, insurance, security and maintenance. In our experience, most landlords faced with limited demand are prepared to agree short-term, rent-free leases with charities, local organisations and other groups, who can demonstrate they will be reliable and responsible occupiers. This helps to offset these costs while searching for a more sustainable solution.

“Indeed, landlords are often keen to mitigate their outgoings on vacant space and most of @retail’s clients who are faced with a lack of demand at market rents will let to charities and other organisations simply to mitigate rates.”

Crippling business rates are killing any concessionary deals a landlord might be prepared to negotiate, so more flexibility in the system would be helpful in bolstering the retail sector – a move @retail and other property experts back after calling on Government to act, adds Ian Thurlbeck. Such a move would also help to create a more level playing field in the face of an increasing number of local independent retailers and leisure operators in the market, who are able to afford the reduced rents on offer.

Three North East businesses have signed up to be part of a £4.5m retail and leisure development due to launch this Autumn at a coastal town in Northumberland.

Developer Blagdon Estates has agreed leases with Greggs, Shorelocks Hair Salon and fast-food restaurant ChickPizz, who will join anchor tenant Co-op to leave only 3 units available within Phase 1 of the scheme at South Beach in Blyth.

Following the three latest lettings, over 7,400 sq.ft. of ground floor space within the 16,000 sq,ft. development has been snapped up, six months ahead of the scheduled completion date in October.

In recent days, @retail has launched the marketing of the last remaining units with the release of a series of computer-generated images to help illustrate what could be potentially created. The retail and leisure property specialists are hoping to attract more ambitious entrepreneurs from Northumberland and the wider region to complete the tenant line up.

Jonathan Chapman, associate director at @retail, said: “From the outset, we have wanted to bring in local independent businesses who can help us make the scheme something special and with the lettings to Shorelocks and ChickPizz we have made a great start.

“We are excited to see who we can identify now for the last remaining opportunities, such as the 4,400 sq.ft first-floor space which will have fabulous views overlooking the beach, making it an ideal blank canvas for a stunning new restaurant or leisure space.”

In January, Sunderland-based building and civil engineering firm BRIMS Construction, commenced work on behalf of Blagdon Estates at the brownfield site on Links Road.

A spokesperson for Blagdon Estate, added: “These lettings are fantastic news as we work towards creating a vibrant retail hub for local residents and visitors to Blyth.

“We are aware that the construction stage has led to some short-term traffic congestion, however we are working with the building contractor and local authority to minimise disruption, to ensure that the relevant works are completed as quickly as possible.  We greatly appreciate the patience of the local community during this period.”

The three remaining units available to lease at South Beach are Units A, C and G which range from 1,017 to 4,429 sq.ft.

Plans for a £4.5m new retail and leisure development in a Northumberland seaside town have moved a step closer with the appointment of a building contractor and the start of construction work.

The first phase is part of ambitious plans by developers Blagdon Estate to transform the existing derelict buildings and land on the Links Road in Blyth into a new 3,750 sq. ft. Co-op convenience store with a further six smaller units ranging from 1,000 sq. ft. to 3,350 sq. ft. available to lease. Plans for the first-floor accommodation, which has views across towards South Beach, will also create more than 4,000 sq. ft. of space to accommodate a new health and fitness gym, studio or restaurant.

The start of work, which will be overseen by North East construction consultants Consult North, appointed by Blagdon Estate to manage the project, comes in the wake of substantial residential development in the South Blyth area, which has seen 600 new homes built over the past 10 years. The project is seen as an important regeneration initiative for the town and follows economic impact studies and research revealing that visitors to Northumberland spent over £1 billion when they explored the county in 2019.

Stuart Hall, director at Kingsmead Developments, development partner with Blagdon Estate, said: “This project will help to transform an important part of Blyth, creating jobs and boost the local economy in the process. The new hub will deliver a wealth of benefits for local residents and traders, as visitor numbers continue to increase, and people spend on local amenities.”

Letting agent for the development @retail has confirmed that the Co-op will be the anchor store for the site with pre-lets already agreed with a further three occupiers. Associate director Jonathan Chapman added: “We are seeing a lot of interest in the units from potential occupiers who are keen to tap into a vibrant local economy and a growing residential population. These include restaurant operators, coffee shops, children’s nurseries and health and fitness operators. We are currently focusing on securing tenants for the remaining space, which includes a 3,350 sq. ft. standalone unit and 4,350 sq. ft. of first floor space.”

Plans for the second phase of development, which includes a further two acres of adjoining land next to the South Beach car park and national cycle route, are already underway with proposals likely to be brought forward during the course of 2022. This will open up further commercial opportunities to make the most of the beachside location including further leisure use, retirement living accommodation or other compatible uses.

From Glasgow to Plymouth and from Norwich to Kidderminster, @retail has together with our joint agent Zeitlyn Farrell, completed the acquisition of 17 new stores over the last 12 months – totalling 70,000 sq. ft. of retail space – across England and Scotland for Connection Flooring’s dynamic ‘Flooring Superstore’ brand, marking a ‘fantastic’ year of growth and achievement.

@retail has been retained by the Bishop Auckland-based company as its retail property partner since 2017, when the first site was acquired in Birtley, County Durham. Today, the flooring superstore chain continues to grow and currently operates 42 branches, employing over 400 people – Ipswich was the latest store to come on stream, opening in October.

And 2022 looks even brighter with @retail’s involvement in the rollout of another 20 new stores expected to be added to the Flooring Superstore portfolio, providing customers with a range of quality carpets and laminate, vinyl and solid wood floor products.

Ian Thurlbeck, director at @retail, said: “2021 has been a very successful year for us, supporting Flooring Superstore’s ambitions and growth with a number of great new site acquisitions. We very much look forward to further success in 2022 and beyond, as the drive for acquisitions continues to forge ahead with a raft of new sites already under offer.”

Chris Barber, Chief Retail Officer for Flooring Superstore, added: “Ian and the @retail team, who have worked with us for almost five years, really understand our property needs. They have been instrumental in securing some fantastic locations for us this year, allowing us to provide customers with a great retail experience in convenient, well located and modern stores.”

Aidan Farrell of Zeitlyn Farrell also added: “We are keen to hear from other landlords and agents across the UK who might have suitable sites to accommodate Flooring Superstore’s ongoing growth. These should ideally be around 4,000 sq. ft. in size and in close proximity to DIY and home improvement operators on retail parks and busy roadside locations.”

North East property consultancy @retail has announced two senior promotions as it continues to develop and grow its business.

Pete Townsend who joined the company as a graduate in 2016 and Jonathan Chapman who has more than 20 years’ experience as a chartered surveyor dealing with property matters across the North East and who joined @retail in 2020, have been promoted to the position of associate director. Both will continue to provide specialist advice and services to landlords and occupiers alike, across the region and beyond.

Clients include local and national landlords, investment funds, developers and local authorities in addition to operators such as Greggs, Sainsbury’s, Heron Foods, Fat Hippo, The Works and Franks the Flooring Store.

The promotions come as @retail has continued to maintain a strong performance during the pandemic in a sector which has seen considerable transition but also prompted increasing demand from landlords and tenants for insightful property expertise and guidance.

Recognising their value to the business, director Ian Thurlbeck, who co-founded the company with Ian Angus in 2011, said the promotions were well deserved and look to the future as much as the past.

He added: “Our investment in talented people is fundamental to the success of our business of providing top quality advice to the retail and leisure property sectors in the North East. Pete and Jonathan have both established excellent reputations for hard work, delivering results and providing an excellent service to clients and these promotions bear recognition to that, as we look ahead to the recruitment of additional property professionals to support our expanding client base.

Jonathan Chapman added: “The market is adapting to the changes in shopping patterns, working practices and property values brought about by the pandemic. We’re in a very dynamic marketplace where opportunities exist for ambitious and creative operators to secure premises in locations which may have previously been considered out of reach.

“It’s a very exciting time for @retail and the wider property sector and both Pete and I look forward to working closely with the directors to continue to develop the business and to support our clients in helping them achieve their goals.”

Flooring Superstore have opened in Glasgow this week which marks the 4th store to open in less than a moth and 17th store opened since retail was permitted to resume trade in April 2021!

An amazing achievement from everyone involved!