The Florist opens at intu Watford’s £180 million expansion

New World Trading Company has opened its award-winning bar and restaurant concept The Florist at the 400,000 sq ft extension to retail and leisure destination intu Watford.

intu has invested £180 million to expand the popular shopping centre and this has attracted a range of new retail and leisure tenants and promoted Watford to a top-20 retail destination in CACI’s national rankings alongside Edinburgh and Reading.

The Florist has opened a 9,000 sq ft high-street-facing unit where the new venue will deliver contemporary cocktails, vibrant food dishes, lounge vibes and weekend DJs. Every sight, sound, texture, taste and aroma of the new bar and restaurant has been carefully considered to immerse customers in an all-new sensory experience.

Hollywood Bowl, Cineworld and a range of other dining brands have also opened at intu Watford’s extension to create a day and night out destination for its affluent catchment population who previously had to travel outside the town for amenities like a cinema and bowling. Hugo Boss and Hollister are among retailers to have signed up for space.

David Morbin, general manager of The Florist, said: “We’re really excited to have opened The Florist at intu Watford. The centre is already a very popular and vibrant retail and leisure destination and we’re very pleased to be offering a new dining and drinking experience to this affluent catchment.”

Rebecca Ryman, regional managing director at intu, said: “The Florist is another exciting brand that will really benefit from our investment at intu Watford and the new space we have created. We know it is going to do well here. This is a very affluent area with lots of people working in and around Watford so there is real demand for the kind of compelling experiences customers can expect at a venue like The Florist.”