Recent Deals & Instructions

• Grilandia Mayfair Opens on Grosvenor St
• Walthamstow Secure University of Portsmouth
• Oxford Street Lettings Secured
• Real Eating Co Continues To Grow
• Knightsbridge Letings Success
• Holloway Park Commercial Appointment (Nov 22)
• Lanterna Lights Up Fish Island (July 22)
• Real Eating Brew Up in Cambridge (April 22)
• MC Retail Partner with John Lewis/Waitrose (Jan 2022)
• Manakish & Naanza launch in Covent Garden (Aug 2021)
• Chef Rohit Ghai launches Manthan in Mayfair (July 2021)
• Five Guys move into Walthamstow (Nov 2020)
• Artillery Row extension for Barclays & Robert Dyas (March 2020)
• Real Eating Co open 6th UK store in Canterbury (Feb 2020)
• Eat business successfully sold to Pret (Sept 2019)
• Dum Biryani founder opens second London site (May 2019)
• Waltham Forest Council Restaurant Appointment (Apr 2019)
• Prime Oxford Street Unit Let (Mar 2019)
• Greggs Open London Flagship Store (Jan 2019)
• Eat Property Director Appointment (December 2018)
• Jeff Banks to relocate from Savile Row (October 2018)
• Tony Lutwyche Academy opens in West End (Sept 2018)
• KFC Drive Thru Set to Open (April 2018)
• Stevenage Appoints on £350 Million New Town Centre Scheme (Feb 2018)
• Subway Join Starbucks In F&B Line Up (October 2017)
• Peabody Wandsworth Scheme Completed (June 2017)
• New West End Flagship Store (Jan 2017)
• Starbucks froth up to Stevenage (Aug 16)
• Leyland SDM open in Battersea Park (May 16)
• Peabody Thamesmead Consultancy (Mar 16)
• Council Increase Town Centre Ownership (Nov 2015)
• India Jane Resident In Kensington (Oct 2015)
• Stevenage Plaza Fully Let (Oct 2015)
• New Lettings At Eden High Wycombe (Apr 2015)
• Leisure Scheme Investment Buy (Nov 2014)
• Jeff Banks to open in Savile Row (Oct 2014)
• New Prime Store Letting (Aug 2014)
• Harlow Council Consultancy (Feb 2014)
• MC Retail Joins B&M Team (Jan 2014)
• Streatham Megabowl to get new lease of life (Aug 2013)
• H&M into Stevenage boosts Council’s income (Sept 2013)
• Sporting Pro debut on Kensington High St (Oct 2013)
• Record retail rent set on Savile Row (Nov 2013)
• Zara make a home in Kensington (Dec 2013)
• Stevenage Investment Purchase
• Kensington Flagships

A prime café unit has been upgraded with full cooking facilities and a letting secured to Lebanese restaurant Grilandia. The new rent of £160,000pax was an 80% uplift on the previous level.

A 10,000ft2 unit in the Juniper House development has been let to Portsmouth. MC Retail helped the Council to secure the first university in the Borough (July 2023)

Working jointly with Metrus we have secured new lettings of both 321 and 413 Oxford St, London W1. This delivered substantially increased rents and preserved the rights for future redevelopment (November 2023)

The casual dining group has now expanded to 10 sites. New stores have opened recently in Gresham St and Maidstone with more set to follow (Feb 2024)

Acting with Metrus, further lettings have been secured at the presigious 28-56 Knightsbridge SW1. New international tenants include Cadaro Jewellery and Knot Churros with further lettings underway (April 2024)

Peabody have instructed MC Retail to provide retail strategy and pre-leasing advice. The former Holloway prison is being redeveloped to provide 1000 new homes and will have 15,000ft2 of commercial units available for a variety of retail and complementary uses including a food store. Completion is expected in 2026.

Following completion of Peabody's Fish Island Village scheme in Hackney Wick, we have let the bar/restaurant to Lanterna. The locally run pizzeria, bar and deli offers canal side views and provides fresh pasta, antipasti and weekend brunch. The Trampery workplace studios are also now open.

Following the success of their Petty Cury store, The Real Eating Co have opened a second Cambridge site at 54 Sidney St. A 10 year lease was taken on the former Trailfinders unit.

We are instructed to provide consultancy advice to the UK's favourite retailer, asset managing a large portfolio of JLP and Waitrose stores in Greater London. Development and value add opportunities are being sought, both to support retail operations and to help generate greater returns from the property assets. The consultancy role will last throughout 2022.

Acting for private overseas clients of Metrus, we have completed 3 new lettings in the run up to Christmas. Previously let to Swarovski, Carphone Warehouse and Goldsmiths respectively, Nos 321, 407 and 413 Oxford St W1 have each been taken on initial 12 month terms prior to redevelopment and new long term tenants being sought. Substantial rents were paid.

Renowned Lebanese restaurant Lazeez Tapas have opened their first Manakish & Naanza concept store on Neal St,WC2. In a fabulous location by Seven Dials, M&N flatbreads topped with authentic,vibrant ingredients are packed with amazing flavours to create a truly irresistible meal. Further sites are now being sought across London and the south east.

Award winning new restaurant Manthan serves innovative Indian food and cocktails in a beautiful, buzzy townhouse setting on Maddox St. A 15 year lease was taken at a rent rising to £90,000pax.

Acting for retained client London Borough of Waltham Forest, we have retaken possession of the Pizza Express following CVA and simultaneously let the premises to Five Guys at a rent of £75,000pax.

Acting with Metrus for a private investor, we have regeared the Barclays & Robery Dyas leases at Artillery Row Victoria. A combined rent of £275,000pa will now be paid until end 2021 when a planned redevelopment will take place.

The independent café business have opened a new 2,000 ft2 unit at Whitefriars Canterbury. Advised by MC Retail, the former Eat unit was taken on a new 10 year lease. Further London & South East locations are now being sought.

MC Retail’s role as Interim Property Director at Eat has helped deliver the sale of the business to Pret Europe for the sum of c£60Million. We rationalised the shops portfolio generating substantial savings for the business across rents, rates and service charges. We are now assisting with the transfer of shops to Pret and disposal of those surplus to requirements.

Dhruv Mittal, a chef who has worked at The Fat Duck & Hibiscus has opened Lucknow 49 in Maddox St, Mayfair. The menu takes inspiration from the Lucknow region and its Awadhi method of cooking. MC Retail completed the letting for landlord adviser Metrus, a new 20 year lease was signed at a rent of £98,000pax.

LB of Waltham Forest have instructed MC Retail to let a 3400 ft2 restaurant. Unit 4 The Scene forms part of a major cinema and dining development in the town centre including Empire, Nandos and Pizza Express and a rent of c£90,000pa is being sought.

413 Oxford Street occupying a prime corner location opposite Selfridges has been let to Mayfair London by MC Retail acting with Metrus. The overseas investor client is seeking £1.45Million pa for the premises which will be refurbished for a future occupier .

The UK’s favourite bakery retailer has taken the former Co op Bank at 60 Kingsway WC2 as a flagship London store to lead its roll out in the Capital. The 1800 branch Greggs took the 2000 ft2 unit at a rent of £155,000 per annum. MC Retail & Metrus advised the private owner on the letting.

MC Retail have been appointed by Eat to provide the services of Interim Property Director. The role involves managing all acquisitions, disposals, rent reviews and lease renewals as well as rating and other property ‘value add’ opportunities across the 90 store estate.Eat has been creating, making and serving their own great tasting seasonal recipes for over 20 years and we are delighted to be working with them to help optimise their property estate.

Advised by MC Retail, the legendary fashion designer Jeff Banks has agreed to sell his eponymous store on Savile Row to the landlord Norges Bank for a substantial premium sum. The store had been acquired by us in 2014 to showcase the brand and was performing well but with the owner planning a major redevelopment of the block, terms were negotiated for the surrender. A new location is now being sought.

Tony Lutwyche the bespoke men's tailor has opened his first Academy store at 26 Sackville St. With a flagship store on Madison Ave NYC, the London Academy was established to help develop the next generation of master tailors and sells hand crafted menswear in the traditional English artisan style. MC Retail advised the private landlord on the letting.

KFC in partnership with M&G have finally completed the acquisition of a 0.5 acre Drive Thru site opposite Stevenage Town Football Club. KFC will construct the new 2500 ft2 unit and ultimately take a new 20 year lease at a commencing rental close to 90,000pax. MC Retail advised on the transaction.

Stevenage Council has appointed construction giant Mace as development partner on Phase 1 of the town centre regeneration. Set to deliver around 60,000ft2 of new restaurants,retail and leisure along with around 1250 new homes, the scheme will transform the Town Centre into a thriving mixed use destination. MC Retail have been working with the Council on site assembly, and asset management and leasing of the existing retail assets.

Following the hugely successful opening of Starbucks , Subway have taken the adjacent unit on a new lease at £35,000pax. Relocating from The Plaza which is being acquired for redevelopment, this opening marks another stage in the refocusing of Town Square into a major F&B destination. MC Retail advised Stevenage Council on the letting..

MC Retail have let the final unit in Carter’s Yard, a substantial new scheme on Wandsworth High St. Benefitting from close proximity to the Ram Brewery 660 unit residential development, the 850 ft2 unit has been let to a successful local hair salon.

MC Retail are retained to advise a private client on a proposed 17000 ft2 flagship retail store. Due for completion during 2019, the store is located close to Regent St with nearby retailers including Burberry, Reiss and Gieves & Hawkes.

The first 2 units in the former QD stores redevelopment have been let to Starbucks and Warren James. Starbucks which is a real coup for the town have taken a prime corner unit fronting onto both Town Square and Queensway, Warren James are taking the opportunity to relocate from a more secondary position. Lettings discussions on the remaining 3 units are well advanced with completion set for January 2017. MC Retail advised the owners Stevenage Borough Council

The redevelopment of Elmwood Court, 38 Battersea Park Road has now completed by Peabody. With 22 flats above, the single retail unit with a 110 ft frontage has been let to Leyland, the specialist decorators merchant. A 15 year lease was signed at a rent reaching £64,000pax

Peabody, one of the largest housing associations in the UK have appointed MC Retail as commercial advisor. With ownership of a major area of South East London stretching from Plumstead through Thamesmead and Abbey Wood to Belvedere, Peabody will be developing 20,000 new homes in the area over the next 40 years. Abbey Wood Crossrail station will reduce train times to Canary Wharf to 11 minutes massively improving the appeal of Thamesmead as a residential location. The opening of an 80,000ft2 Sainsburys in 2015 marked the beginning of new retail development in Thamesmead and MC Retail will be working closely with Peabody to help deliver the best possible retail facilities across the region.

Stevenage Council have added to their land holdings in the town centre with the recent purchase at auction of the former Barclays Bank at 2 Town Square. The site has been bought for future redevelopment.

Acting for the Trustees of the Phillimore Estate, MC Retail have completed the letting of 130 Kensington High St to quality furnishings retailer India Jane. The 7000 ft2 flagship store was let at £400,000pax and completes the high class line up alongside Massimo Dutti, Zara Home, Cos, Barclays Bank and Altimus.

MC Retail have now completed lettings of the final vacant units, an 11,000 ft2 restaurant has been taken by world food buffet Salt & Good, whilst RCCG has taken 8400 ft2. These tenants join Wetherspoons, Stonegate Pub Co, Subway and Fit4Less Gym.

MC Retail advised the owners of the 850,000ft2 Eden Shopping Centre on 2 new lettings to Sparks E Cigs & South Bucks Hospice. The scheme is anchored by House of Fraser, M&S, Cineworld, Next, Boots & Zara.

Stevenage Borough Council advised by MC Retail have bought the freehold interest in the Plaza leisure scheme. Occupying a prime position in the town centre, tenants include Wetherspoons, Stonegate Pub Co, North Herts College Gym and Subway. The scheme was originally developed at a cost in excess of £10 Million and now adds to the Council's substantial town centre ownerships where major regeneration and improvements are planned.

As consultant to Metrus, we have advised British tailoring legend Jeff Banks on the acquisition of his new eponymous flagship store at 36 Savile Row. This prime unit is close to Alexander McQueen, Ozwald Boateng, Hardy Amies and Abercrombie and will enable Jeff, a former British Designer of the Year, to showcase his Bespoke menswear collections.

MC Retail have been instructed to let the former QD Stores in Stevenage town centre. Comprising 12,000 sq. ft. of retail space, the store occupies a prime corner position fronting both Queensway and Town Square and can be let either as a whole or subdivided. A substantial six figure rental is being sought with numerous interests already being expressed.

We have been instructed by Harlow Council to assist with the regeneration of the town centre. With a population of over 80,000 set to increase by more than 10% by 2020 and with Harlow being recently selected as one of 12 Enterprise Zones in the country to benefit from a share of a £100million infrastructure grant from the Government, there is significant potential to bring about improvements to the overall retail offer in the town.

Leading retailer B&M Bargains have instructed MC Retail to help secure sites within the M25 area. B&M currently have 350 stores and an annual turnover in excess of £1Billion with profits of over £100 Million. 40 new stores of between 10,000 - 30,000 ft2 are required in 2014 with a focus on the M25.

MC Retail have been appointed by Redefine to lease the planned redevelopment of the landmark former Megabowl on Streatham Hill. Planning has been obtained for a 52,000 ft2 foodstore or multiple non food units together with 283 apartments. Final details of the scheme are being completed.

As retained advisor to Stevenage Borough Council, MC Retail have completed a key letting to fashion retailer H&M. The new 20,000ft2 store in the Westgate Centre was created by extending existing units into the Council controlled car park. We advised the Council as freeholder and car park operator throughout and negotiated a regear of the headlease, resulting in the client receiving a substantial uplift in their head rent income.

MC Retail have completed the letting of a 7000 ft2 unit to Matalan for their new Sporting Pro concept store. Providing a range of Nike, Asics and other quality branded sportswear and accessories, Sporting Pro are paying a rental of £300,000pax on an initial 2 year lease outside the 1954 Act. Savills are joint agents for the private landlord.

Acting as consultant to Metrus Property Advisors, we have completed the letting of 39 Savile Row to bespoke British Shoe Manufacturer Gaziano & Girling. The shop was let at a rent reflecting over £235 zone A, more than 20% higher than the previous best rent on Savile Row. The deal was reported in the Evening Standard as clearly demonstrating the continued high UK & International retailer demand for Central London shops.

Zara at Home have taken a new 10 year lease on a 7200 ft2 unit at 122 Kensington High St previously occupied by Esprit & Butlers. Advising a private client, MC Retail secured a rent of £350,000pax from the high class Spanish retailer for what will be only their second standalone store in the UK. Occupation will take place in January 2014, Savills were joint agents on the deal.

In February 2013 Stevenage Borough Council completed the purchase of 3-29 Town SquareStevenage from Aviva Investors. The asset comprises 13 shops let to national and local tenants including Lloyds Bank, McDonalds, Greggs and QD Stores together with offices above. The site occupies a strategically important position within Stevenage town centre being adjacent to Town Square, Primark, Boots, the Bus Station and the Council offices. SBC are progressing the ongoing enhancement of the town centre and this significant investment which adds to their existing ownerships is a demonstration of their commitment. Stevenage Borough Council were advised by MC Retail and Aviva Investors by HP Four.

Martin Crossley Managing Director of MC Retail commented
'' Increasingly, control of town centre sites will be crucial to bringing about future regeneration and local authorities should view the current market as a real opportunity to acquire key ownerships for this purpose. It is essential however that they are properly advised throughout the process and have a dynamic asset management plan in place''.

7000 sqft former Esprit store at 120-122 KHS let to Butlers.

Massimo Dutti at 118 KHS have taken a new lease to 2024 at a rent rising to £441,600pax. Savills were joint agents on both deals.

Contact

Martin Crossley, MRICS

Woodvale House,
Lincoln Road,
Chalfont St Peter,
Bucks, SL9 9TG

Tel: 07968 848812
Email: mc@mcretail.co.uk