Lettings latest Patrick secures Premier client; Card retailer heads for Connah’s Quay; and more

PATRICK Properties has let a 42,000 sq ft unit at its Premier Park speculative industrial scheme at Winsford in Cheshire to Seafield Logistics, which is relocating from nearby Northwich.

Seafield has signed a ten-year lease for the unit for a rental of £225,000 per year.

Patrick Properties, which is owned by entrepreneur Brian Kennedy, has already filled most of the 400,000 sq ft park with existing tenants including Advanced Medical Solutions, Edmundson Electrical and Venture UK plc.

Just two units of 28,000 sq ft and 11,000 sq ft remain. CBRE and Lamonts are joint letting agents.

Patrick Properties’ managing director Andrew Dickman said: “At a time when few are developers are speculatively building, we have proven that that by providing good quality accommodation in the right location you can still attract tenants. 

“We are delighted by the success of Premier Park and have significant interest in the remaining units.”

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YORKSHIRE retailer Card Factory has taken a 2,000 sq ft unit at the new Quay Shopping Centre at Connah’s Quay on the Chester/North Wales border.

The £15m development by St Modwen is a six-acre district centre scheme that includes a 52,000 sq ft Morrisons and 12 retail units including a Greggs, Bargain Booze, Just Go Travel and Home Bargains.

Paul Batho, project director at St Modwen, said: “Card Factory is a very welcome addition to Connah’s Quay, adding to the variety of shops that the new district centre offers.”

Card Factory’s managing director, Richard Hayes said: “We’re delighted to be bringing a Card Factory store to Deeside.”

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PROPERTY Alliance Group has signed up Elliott Group as a tenant onto its Victory Manufacturing Park in Sheffield.

The Trafford Park-based developer has secured a pre-let from Elliott Group, which provides secure storage products. It has agreed to take on a mix of buildings representing just under half of the 13-acre site, for which planning has just been submitted.

Property Alliance’s proposal for the site includes office, manufacturing, workshop and open storage space.

Site remediation has already begun and if its planning application is approved the Elliott buildings could be completed at the end of the year.

Elliott has signed a lease for 15 years and will pay rental of around £310,000
 per year.

Lee Charnley, director of Property Alliance Group said: “We have worked tirelessly in Sheffield with our colleagues and the authorities to ensure Victory Manufacturing Park delivers the specific requirements of the region’s manufacturing sector.

“We’re delighted to have Elliott Group on board and anticipate a successful planning decision in the near future so we can begin construction works on site as soon as possible. This deal, the first on the site, is certain to be a catalyst for wider occupation of the remaining seven acres of the park.”

HOW Planning prepared and submitted the planning application on behalf of Property Alliance.

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RESTAURANT chain Prezzo has signed a deal with The Peel Group to open a new 3,000 sq ft outlet at MediacityUK.

The operator is to open its first Greater Manchester restaurant at the scheme in the Orange Tower building which will be occupied by the University of Salford and ITV.

Stephen Wild, managing director of MediaCityUK, said: “Prezzo is a fast-growing high street food brand known for delivering a wide range of fresh contemporary dishes at competitive prices. Their restaurant here at MediaCityUK will be a welcome addition to our retail offering and will help to serve the needs of our visitors, residents and employees.”

Meanwhile, Peel Group has also let a 1,680 sq ft unit to privately-owned dental practice, Dental. The company, which is run by husband-and-wife team Hitesh Panchai and Deepa Vakil, will be housed within the new multi-storey car park alongside the Booths superstore.

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MARKS & Spencer and Pure Gym have both signed leases totalling 38,678 sq ft at Town Centre Securities’ Urban Exchange Manchester development.

Marks & Spencer has signed a lease for a 19,353 sq ft ground floor unit which will become an outlet

store, while Pure Gym has agreed a 15 year lease for a 19,326 sq ft unit at lower ground floor level for one of its 24 hour gyms.

One unit now remains at the scheme, which was subdivided into several different stores following the collapse of Danish furniture retailer ILVA in 2008, which had previously occupied the entire 120,000 sq ft building. Other tenants include Aldi and Go Outdoors.

Edward Ziff, chairman of Town Centre Securities, said: “To be in a situation where a prominent building of this magnitude is left vacant presents many challenges and we are incredibly proud to have been able to overcome these to create a successful scheme in the midst of a challenging economic climate.

“We have always had confidence in the whole Piccadilly Basin scheme as it occupies such a key site within the City of Manchester and the major retailers we now have in occupation will undoubtedly ensure its continued success.”

BNP Paribas and Cushman & Wakefield are joint agents for Urban Exchange.

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A COMPANY which provides silk flower displays for corporate events and weddings has opened a new unit at 56 Greenwood St in Altrincham town centre.

Lasting Memories, which is owned by local artist Alison Gleave, also offers a contract flower service to businesses to regularly change displays and also accepts commissions for portraits.

She said: “The corner position is ideal for us opposite the market and next to M&S. We live in Timperley, so it was important to us to open a shop serving our local community.

“The main thing that attracted us to these particular premises was its location, and the double fronted window area for displays. After working for someone else for so long, it is fantastic to be doing something that I love, and doing it for my family”.
Gleave has taken 830 sq ft of space – including basement storage space – on a five-year lease.

Daniel Lee of Regional Property Solutions, who acted for the landlord a private pension fund said: “Contrary to recent reports on the take-up of retail outlets in Altrincham this letting demonstrates that if a landlord is willing to take a realistic view on rents new businesses are willing to give it a go.”