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Hammerson completes Westquay Watermark with 20 restaurants


Hammerson has completed Westquay Watermark in Southampton two years after kick-starting the restaurant and dining complex – the FTSE 100 property giant’s first dedicated leisure-led development and the largest in the UK.


Built on the site of the former Pirelli cable works factory, next to Southampton’s historic town walls, the entire one million sq ft scheme officially opened for business in February after a phased launch in December, bringing over 20 new restaurants including Five Guys, Bills, Cau, Franco Manca, Nando’s, Byron and Casa Brasil.


Almost virtually let with 5% of space remaining, it also houses a Hollywood Bowl and a 10-screen Showcase Cinema de Lux, which boasts the South Coast’s largest XPlus screen, as well as armchair-style electric reclining seats and Dolby Atmos sound technology in each screen.


Hammerson’s presence in Southampton dates back 20 years when it built the neighbouring 800,000 sq ft Westquay shopping centre, now jointly owned by an affiliate of GIC Real Estate.


When it opened in 2000, Westquay had


just 4% of space dedicated to dining. But changes in consumer behaviour and shopping habits over the past decade drove Hammerson’s decision to build a dedicated leisure extension next door to its retail offer.


“Since 2000 we have seen a huge change in the dining scene,” Guy Wells, development manager at Hammerson, said. “Previously there was no leisure offer in Southampton, creating huge pent-up demand for catering opportunities in the city.”


The property company let half of the scheme before construction began, Wells added, with 75% of the brands such as Casa Brasil opening in Southampton for the first time.


The first phase of restaurants opened in December, and, on a tour of the scheme ahead of its official completion, it was clear that some of these were already a hit with local residents. Cosmo, an Asian buffet- style restaurant, was packed with families at midday – its dessert counter serving chocolate fountains and pull your own 99’ Whippy ice creams proving particularly popular.


Designed by architectural team, ACME,


Wells said Westquay Watermark takes its inspiration from other waterfront destinations around Europe such as Bordeaux or Hammerson’s Terrasses du Port scheme in Marseille.


Looking out on the port of Southampton, diners can catch a glimpse of the fleets of cruise ships leaving for Europe and beyond – making it the busiest cruise terminal in the UK.


“We did a lot of research around Europe looking at where had the best locations around water. It was about providing something people want to spend time in, while also increasing spend and footfall,” Wells said.


The £85 million scheme is recognised as one of Southampton City Council’s eight very important ‘Heart of the City’ projects (VIP) within its City Centre Master Plan and also received £7m from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund to support the provision of the public realm, between the building itself and the old town walls which it borders.


Source: CoStar


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH COAST – MARCH/APRIL 2017


businessmag.co.uk


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