Big brands set to move into East Mids outlet centre

Springfields Outlet Centre in Spalding, Lincolnshire, is welcoming women’s fashion retailer, Betty Barclay and Italian coffee specialists, Caffé Nero to the outlet centre in the Autumn.

The Betty Barclay unit at 4,000 sq ft will be their largest outlet store in the UK. This follows the successful launch of sports and fashion retailer, Raging Bull, the sports fashion brand led by former England rugby star Phil Vickery, which opened a 1,250 sq ft unit at the Lincolnshire outlet in the Summer. They join Next Outlet, Fat Face, Ernest Jones the Outlet Collection and Starbucks, who have all opened new stores at Springfields recently, all overseen by Asset Management company, SLR Outlets.

As well as new brand openings, Radley London, Weird Fish, Hallmark and Cotton Traders have all recently re-geared their leases and investing in new store fit outs.

The Outlet Centre is celebrating twelve consecutive years of turnover growth and is currently running at a 6 per cent turnover increase year-on-year. Last week the scheme received planning consent for a £1m investment into the leisure facilities on the site, including the UK’s largest JCB Young Driver Zone.

Recent improvements to Springfields include four food-based plazas anchored by Starbucks, Costa Coffee, Blue Diamond and, now Caffe Nero, who will occupy a 1,500 sq ft unit. There is also a rolling window enhancement programme well underway.

Ian Sanderson developed the scheme and now runs SLR Outlets, who asset manages and operates Springfields Outlet Centre said: “SLR Outlets is proud that Springfields is being successfully repositioned to be the leading premium outlet centre serving East Anglia, Lincolnshire, and Cambridgeshire. Turnover is continually powering ahead and this year is set to increase further as we continue with our proactive and innovative approach.’’

“The scheme has seen an influx of high quality brands, and this is set to continue. These new brands along with our recent lease renewals and the proposed changes to the leisure offer will help us to strengthen our position in a highly competitive market.”

Knight Frank and CHD Property acted as leasing agents on behalf of SLR.