Leasing round-up: Atria Watford welcomes HMV, The Beech House & host of new brands

Atria Watford, one of the UK’s most popular retail and leisure destinations, owned by property company SGS and asset managed by Global Mutual Properties, is pleased to announce a host of recent openings at the centre.

Food & Beverage

The Beech House restaurant and bar has signed a 24-year lease for a 7,093 sq ft high-street facing unit, which, having opened last month, has had a transformative visual impact on the town centre. The eatery serves a range of food and drink to cater to all

Jamaica Blue opened its doors in a 2,437 sq ft unit in June 2022. It offers customers high-quality Jamaican coffee and delicious all-day brunches

The Korean-inspired eatery, Grounded Kitchen, has opened in a 4,139 sq ft unit and will serve a diverse menu offering ‘feel good food’ to its customers

Retail

Lids, the world’s largest retailer specialising in the sale of officially licensed and branded headwear, will open in a 1,721 sq ft unit in the upper mall. The store will open in early November and offer a vast assortment of college, MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL teams, as well as other specialty fashion categories all in the latest styles and colours

HMV, the music and entertainment retailer, recently opened its doors in a 4,893 sq ft unit in the centre’s lower mall. The shop will offer over 12,000 different products, perfect for fans of pop culture who want to browse and discover new items

A new bridal store, Boutique One, has taken 1,220 sq ft of space on a 10-year-lease and will stock an extensive range of bridal, bridesmaid, and occasion wear dresses

Alongside these new retail and F&B tenants, Atria Watford is now home to Esla Barber, a barbershop bringing luxury barbering to men and children, which opened towards the end of August in a 569 sq ft unit. The space incorporates an autism-friendly play area for kids and aims to bring ‘luxury to the masses.’

These new signings will further diversify Atria Watford’s offer, ensuring it remains fresh and compelling for centre visitors.

Steve Gray, Head of European Retail Asset Management at Global Mutual, comments:

“We are thrilled to have welcomed such a diverse range of new brands to the centre and it’s great to see our customers already enjoying the new stores. Demand for space in Atria Watford remains strong as brands seek high-quality space with healthy footfall and an attractive existing tenant mix. As we start to approach the festive period, we look forward to welcoming our customers to the centre where the offering continues to evolve.”

Kelly Beard, Head of Marketing at The Beech House commented:

“We are so excited to welcome our sixth Beech House to Watford. The Beech House is a place that offers the best in hospitality, with food and drinks, served all day, every day. From brunch with friends, to Saturday night with the family, to cocktails and drinks with friends. We look forward to welcoming the community of Watford and becoming an integral part of the Watford High Street.”

Phil Halliday, HMV Managing Director, said:

“The opening of our new Watford store demonstrates the incredible turnaround of the HMV business, and shows that fans of music, film and pop culture are keener than ever to get their hands on physical product.

“Nothing beats discovering new films and music by browsing in a store filled with expert, knowledgeable staff – it’s something that streaming can’t replace.

“HMV has a long history of offering signings and performances from amazing artists and bands, and we’re looking forward to bringing some incredible fan events to Watford soon.”