Major retailer upsizes to 51,000 sq ft at the Bullring

Hammerson has announced that clothing retailer Zara will be upsizing at Bullring & Grand Central, as part of a repositioning of the Birmingham city centre asset and the repurposing of the former Debenhams store space.

Swiss watchmakers, Swatch, a global footwear brand, Clarks, Mexican restaurant Zambrero and independent retail brand Pop Street will all be joining Zara.

In a move that completes the repurposing of the former Debenhams, Zara is taking the top floor above M&S and TOCA Social, plus an adjacent two-storey unit on Bullring’s upper level, creating more than 51,000 sq ft of shopping space that will elevate Zara’s presence in Birmingham.

The two new stores will showcase its full range of womenswear, menswear and childrenswear, and will feature an ‘Automated Collection Point’, self-service and dedicated refund tills to deliver a seamless customer experience.

Swatch is set to open its first standalone store in the city, situated on Bullring’s Link Street. Spanning 800 sq ft, the store will showcase a collection of over 500 different watches.

Meanwhile, renowned footwear brand Clarks is relocating within Bullring to introduce its innovative ‘modern workshop’ concept. The brand will occupy a new 4,500 sq ft unit on Bullring’s lower level.

In addition to these developments, Zambrero, an independent Mexican grab-and-go restaurant, is expanding its presence in the city with a new 580 sq ft location on Bullring’s middle level. Moreover, independent retail brand Pop Street is set to open a 3,900 sq ft unit on Bullring’s lower level.

Toby Tait, director of Asset Management at Hammerson, said: “The strategic repositioning of Bullring & Grand Central has seen us introduce key brands, new concepts and events to the destination. As a result, we have driven footfall and sales for our occupiers year-on-year and continue to attract best-in-class brand partners. Zara’s reinvestment alongside exciting new concept stores from Swatch and Clarks demonstrates the appeal of Bullring and endorses the success of our strategic focus.”