High street helped not hindered by Trinity Leeds, expert claims

TRINITY Leeds will make a major contribution to the strength of the city’s retail sector rather than undermining its high street, one of the key figures involved in the scheme has said.

Tom Limbert, a partner at specialist retail letting agent Central Retail, dismissed accusations made on social media websites that the £350m shopping centre, which opens tomorrow, threatened to empty traditional shopping areas in Leeds and other regional towns and cities.

Retailers such as River Island and Next are closing existing units in the city to take space in Trinity Leeds, leading to some commentators to claim that vacant units elsewhere will become commonplace.

However, Mr Limbert said he believed the shopping centre would act as a catalyst for other retailers to come to Leeds and dismissed the views of dissenters who have claimed that Trinity will contribute to a dearth of activity on the high street.

He said: “People are saying that Trinity Leeds is stealing tenants from other areas of Leeds. The big companies that are coming (and closing elsewhere) are River Island, Next and Urban Outfitters.

“But the key is that without the new shopping centre Apple wouldn’t have thought about setting up in the middle of Leeds.

“And if Apple weren’t coming then Hollister wouldn’t be coming and neither would Victoria’s Secret. So you’ve got three international retailers who are coming to Leeds because of Trinity. It’s all down to the floorspace available.”

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Central Retail has worked on the scheme since 2007, agreeing the largest letting at the site – Primark at 107,000 sq ft – to the smallest, ipatch at 67 sq ft.

More than 90% of space at the 1m sq ft centre is now let or in solicitors’ hands, with brands including Apple and Victoria’s Secret coming to the city for the first time.

Mr Limbert believes rather than hitting retail in Leeds, Trinity Leeds is contributing to the success of other areas of the city.

“There are still plenty of retailers who don’t want to acquire in a shopping centre,” he said. “Trinity Leeds is also going to bring new people to come and shop in Leeds and therefore a feature of Trinity Leeds should be to accelerate demand for retailers in the city centre.”

Mr Limbert (pictured right with the Central Retail team) also said that Trinity Leeds was contributing to retailers across the city revamping their establishments.

“I don’t think it will affect shopping patterns (in the city). People are still going to walk through places like the Merrion Centre and St John’s Centre. I can only see it as a positive for Leeds city centre.”

It is understood that although Next is closing its existing store to move to Trinity Leeds it still has three years to run on its lease. The River Island shop that is closing is available on an immediate let.

Other retailers, such as Primark, are opening in Trinity Leeds but also keeping their existing stores in the city open.
 
Central Retail first became involved in the scheme when it negotiated on behalf of Land Securities to secure the necessary vacant possession of properties within the site that paved way for redevelopment.
 
Leisure agent on the scheme is Shelley Sandzer. Alongside Central Retail, other retail agents on Trinity Leeds are Jones Lang LaSalle and Cushman & Wakefield.