Sector Focus


New tenants for Mailbox complex


The Mailbox is set to welcome four new tenants, who will occupy 10,000 sq ft of space. Three of the newcomers are:


Castle Fine Art, Sofas & Stuff and Pall Mall Barbers, and fourth is a yet-to-be-announced women’s fashion retailer. Castle Fine Art will open its new


6,000 sq ft flagship showroom space early this month. Sofas & Stuff will be taking


2,000 sq ft of space, and will also be opening this month. Pall Mall Barbers will take residence in an 800 sq ft unit and is an independent barbers which is the latest in a number of London-based brands looking to make their mark in Birmingham. Melanie Taylor, head of retailer


relations at Milligan, joint owner of the Mailbox, said: “We’re incredibly excited to announce the latest arrivals, taking us to 18 new retail and F&B openings within the past two years. It’s a vote of confidence in the centre’s valuable proposition for our occupiers in this challenging retail climate.” The Mailbox is home to a number


of exclusive fashion brands including Harvey Nichols’ 45,000 sq. ft. flagship store, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein Underwear, BOSS, Emporio Armani, Paul Smith, and Gieves & Hawkes.


Retail


Shoppers are urged to use gift cards or risk losing out


West Midlands’ shoppers holding gift cards from any retailer which has entered an insolvency process should try to use them sooner rather than later to reduce the risk of losing out. That's the view of Eddie Williams, Midlands chairman


of insolvency and restructuring trade body R3 and partner at Grant Thornton in Birmingham. He said: “It is understandably frustrating when a


retailer won’t accept gift cards during an administration, but the administrator is obliged to look after all creditors’ interests according to a strict hierarchy set out in law, and unfortunately customers are just one of a number of creditors that a retailer has. “Administrators make their decisions


regarding accepting gift cards on a commercial basis and it is not a decision that they will take lightly. “On the one hand, accepting them could


lose the business more money, but on the other, not doing so could hurt the relationship between the retailer and its customers. "Accepting large volumes of gift cards


could also hurt other creditors or make business rescue harder to achieve, which is the administrator's primary responsibility, and there is no guarantee that any insolvent retailer which is


Eddie Williams: use it or lose it?


continuing to accept them will be maintained indefinitely. “If a retailer has been sold as part of a pre-pack


administration, where the company trading enters administration and is immediately sold to another buyer, then – again – it is up to the new owners of the retailer whether or not to honour gift cards and vouchers issued prior to the administration. “Customers with gift cards or vouchers issued from a retailer which has entered


administration and which is either continuing to trade, or which has gone through a pre-pack administration, should check with store staff whether they can still redeem them. “If this is possible, it’s a good idea to


do so sooner rather than later, especially as stores may be earmarked for closure.”


Providing a platform for independents


Consumer trends and market research tell us that there is an ever-growing demand for unique and personal experiences. We recently welcomed two new independently-run and owned restaurants, Jamaya and Asha’s, to complement the extensive range of trusted retail and leisure brands. Both Jamaya and Asha’s offer something a little different and they deliver experiences that you can’t find everywhere. The Presidential Platter at Asha’s designed for the visiting Bill Clinton is one such example and Jamaya is the first of it’s kind, a new concept that could well become a national brand in the future. Both destinations offer a reason to visit Touchwood rather than somewhere else, a key consideration at a time when Shopping Centres and retail in general are under pressure from online retail. That’s not to say that we are


heralding the end of the brand. Far from it, in fact some brands are brilliant at ‘making it personal’. Take Five Guys as an example. This is a global chain but I can go in and


62 CHAMBERLINK June 2019


of newer, growing independent enterprises. We plan to give more of those independent businesses a platform here at Touchwood. One of the ways we do this is to


Jamaya Retail Therapy


By Tony Elvin General Manager, Touchwood


order a burger personalised to me, exactly as I want it. In fact there are apparently over 250,000 combinations that you could make from their 15 different toppings. jalapenos in mine every time. Nespresso seems like a fairly


straightforward retail concept. They sell coffee pods for the world’s favourite coffee machine but there’s more going on in that store than at first meets the eye. Did you know that Nespresso offer tutored tastings and tasting experiences… for free?


Asha’s So big brands do offer a bespoke


experience but there will also be a demand for big brands to do exactly what you expect them to do. That’s why I call them Trusted Brands. Consistency of service, product and standards - there will always be a place for that. So choice will always be a key


watchword for our offering at Touchwood, as it is vital that visitors can enjoy the widest possible range. A good balance of long established and popular brand names, together with the inclusion


give start-up businesses the ability to test the water with our Enterprise Stand, offering them a low cost, low risk trading opportunity. A number of these businesses have gone on to have their own stores within the centre. Poplar Arcade in Touchwood is


our ‘Independent Alley’, with most of the stores either entirely independent or are franchise operations. If we are to continue to create


holistic retail experiences that are in tune with the demands of today’s consumers, we must ensure that independents have their place. That means actively seeking out entrepreneurs that have the right ambition and vision for Touchwood.


Visit www.touchwoodsolihull.co.uk or telephone 0121 709 6900. Follow @TouchwoodTweets or visit www.facebook.com/touchwoodsoli hull


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