Johnson Fellows appointed by major retailers

CHARTERED surveying firm Johnson Fellows has been appointed to find new sites for a number of major retailers.

The company, which has offices in Birmingham and Manchester, has won new instructions from household names as the major high street chains look to open new stores in the New Year.

It has been instructed by a franchisee of the global coffeehouse chain Starbucks across the West Midlands and Worcestershire. 1 Oak Limited is looking to acquire a number of drive-thru sites and in-line stores, with plans to open five new stores per year in the region.

The company has also been retained by clothing retailer White Stuff to acquire sites across the Midlands, North of England and Wales and will also be supporting miniature war gaming manufacturer Games Workshop in its nationwide expansion as it plans to open up to 12 new sites per year.

And Quicksilver, the UK’s largest amusements business, has instructed Johnson Fellows to find ten new sites as it expands its operations, with a particular focus on London.

Stuart Bridgewater, associate partner at Johnson Fellows, said: “It is testament to the state of the market right now that big name brands are looking to expand their operations across the country, either directly or by way of a franchise.

“We are seeing demand in a diverse range of areas, from high street locations to out of town and shopping centres too, which suggests real confidence throughout the market.

“Much has been made of the difficult conditions that traditional bricks and mortar businesses now face as a result of the rise of online shopping, but with high profile retail developments like Grand Central in Birmingham, the retail property sector is in good health.”

Johnson Fellows has been based in Birmingham since 1984. It opened a second office in Manchester in September 2015.