Touchwood shopping centre is approaching full occupancy following the arrival of Oliver Bonas at the Solihull destination.
The fashion, jewellery, homeware and gifts brand has taken a 10-year lease of unit 26 within the Mill Lane Arcade area of the scheme, totalling 3,015sq ft.
The latest letting brings Touchwood to 98.5% let, and further strengthens what is already the region’s leading retail line-up. Notable new brands at Touchwood over the past year include Mango, Levi Strauss & Co, Mint Velvet and Dune, joining existing blue-chip names such as Apple, John Lewis, Zara, Tag Heuer and Rituals.
Following its acquisition of Touchwood in mid-2021, owner The Ardent Companies and asset manager Sovereign Centros from CBRE implemented a strategy focused on strengthening and diversifying the scheme’s offer to cement its position as the West Midlands’ destination of choice. The success of the strategy can be seen in the heightened occupier demand driven by Touchwood’s strong footfall and trading performance, culminating in its current position of near full occupancy.
Andrew Hilston, managing director at The Ardent Companies, said: “Touchwood’s success shows that, when the right brands are in place, shoppers appreciate the benefits that only bricks-and-mortar retail destinations can provide. Reaching 98.5% occupancy is a huge milestone for the scheme and is emblematic of our strategy, which has focused relentlessly on bringing the best names and widest offer possible to the shoppers of Solihull. Oliver Bonas is indicative of the brands we have targeted, and its arrival further strengthens an offer that leads the way in the West Midlands.”
Sovereign Centros from CBRE is the asset manager of Touchwood, while Cushman & Wakefield and Knight Frank are the retained leasing agents.
