SECTOR FOCUS: RETAIL


Grand opening: Grand Central is due to open its doors in September


The next station stop for retailers M


ore than half of the retailers opening outlets at Birmingham’s new Grand Central shopping development are new to the city, it has been announced.


Grand Central is a £150m development which sits on top of the


redeveloped New Street Station, and is due to open in September. Among those opening in Birmingham for the first time will be Foyles,


The White Company, Hobbs, Joules, Kiehls, Cath Kidston, Pylones, Neals Yard Remedies, Paperchase, Gobstoppers, Mica Beauty, Paul Boulangerie, Fuel Juice Bar, Caffé Concerto, Tapas Revolution, Pho, Tortilla, Giraffe, Square Pie, Yaki Nori, Cocomacs, Steel & Jelly, Crepe Affaire and Frizzenti. The main ‘anchor’ store at the development will be John Lewis. When


Grand Central opens, Birmingham will be the only city outside the capital to house all five of the UK’s major department stores: Harvey Nichols,


Burton centre rings the changes


The Birmingham-based, award-winning retail team of real estate company Cushman & Wakefield has been reappointed as joint letting agents at a major shopping centre in Burton. Coopers Square Shopping Centre


is at St Modwens Walk, Burton, has just changed hands with New Frontier Properties buying the development from F&C REIT. Coopers Square was formerly


called Burton Shopping Centre, and was opened in 1970 by Princess Alexandra. It consists of five malls, and has a total retail area of 385,000 sq ft. Leading stores at the shopping


centre include M&S, Boots, BHS, Next and Primark. Coopers Square was bought by


New Frontier Properties only last month, together with the Cleveland Centre in Middlesbrough, which was also owned by F&C REIT. These purchases were New


Frontier’s first in the UK retail market, but it intends to become a major investor and is poised to announce further acquisitions.


40 CHAMBERLINK JULY/AUGUST 2015 Flexing our staff’s flexibility


Flexibility is defined in the dictionary as being “versatile”, “adaptable”. Here at John Lewis Solihull, at the heart of the Touchwood centre, flexibility is a way of life for our partners (staff) as we all face the increasingly different retail landscape that is typifying 2015 and beyond. Last year saw the start of the


our partners are knowledgeable about, and confident in their own skills, and, when trading patterns dictate, are both able and willing to jump from shopfloor to till to clearing tables in our restaurant to protect and deliver that excellent customer experience. This level of flexibility is


RETAIL THERAPY


mobile revolution, with customers shopping more on the move using their phones and tablets. Throughout Christmas, mobile traffic to johnlewis.com overtook desktop for the first time, a true indicator of this change. Businesses of all kinds realised they needed an effective omnichannel presence if they were to capitalise on this new shopping trend. Now, with mobile shopping here to stay, it’s the


BY JULIE BLAKE HEAD OF BRANCH, JOHN LEWIS SOLIHULL


‘It’s the flexibility of the people who work for you that is the key to success’


flexibility of the people who work for you that is the key to success. For John Lewis Solihull, and in fact all John Lewis shops across the country, our challenge is ensuring


common practice during Christmas and other peak trading periods throughout the year, when it’s all hands on deck to give our customers the excellent shopping experience they quite rightly expect. Our focus now is understanding that this way of working, this ability to move smoothly from one area to another while maintaining service and quality, is the new norm. It’s about coaching partners,


encouraging them to understand and embrace the part they play in contributing to the success of our business. If we can do this then the ‘new norm’ will simply


become ‘the norm’ - until the next challenge comes along!


Selfridges, Debenhams, House of Fraser and John Lewis. Keith Stone, Grand Central leasing director, said: “The desire from these


premium retailers and eateries to invest in the city shows that Birmingham is now a national retail destination. Being situated above New Street Station will make Grand Central the ideal location for leading brands and extremely convenient for people. “The retail industry is very quickly seeing the value of transport hubs


becoming shopping destinations and Grand Central is expecting to attract around 50 million shoppers and commuters a year, both locally and from across the country.” “Previously overshadowed by other cities, Birmingham is finally getting


the recognition that it deserves for its retail offering and unique shopper experience, and it’s great to see Grand Central playing a major role in this.”


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