Tenpin is bringing its signature mix of bowling and entertainment to Redditch, with a brand-new venue set to open at the Kingfisher Shopping Centre this summer. Spanning 28,500 sq ft, the new site will take over the former B&M and Wilko units on the lower level of the centre. The venue will feature 22 bowling lanes alongside a range of additional attractions, including three escape rooms, laser tag, karaoke rooms, interactive darts, and pool tables. Adding to the experience, a 140-seat bar will offer food, drinks, and live sports, creating a vibrant space for visitors to relax and socialise. A spokesperson for Kingfisher Shopping Centre said: “Tenpin will further enhance our leisure offer, boosting Redditch’s appeal and providing exciting new experiences for both residents and visitors.” Sue Clews, regional manager at Tenpin, added: “We’re thrilled to be opening a new venue in Redditch. With a fantastic range of activities for all ages and occasions, we can’t wait to welcome our first guests through the doors.” KLM Real Estate acted as leasing consultants on behalf of The Gluck Group, owners of Kingfisher Shopping Centre, while Portland Leisure Advisers represented Tenpin. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Whitbread PLC, the parent company of the UK’s largest hotel brand Premier Inn, has added more than 1,000 new guest bedrooms to its growing UK network since March 2024 and the start of its FY24/25 financial year. The 137-bedroom Premier Inn at London Waterloo (North Lambeth) in Central London took the business over the 1,000 new room milestone earlier this month, marking the third new hotel Premier Inn to open in the capital since spring last year. In total, Whitbread has opened seven new Premier Inn and hub by Premier Inn hotels in the past eleven months including new locations in Central London, Cambridge, Bristol, York, and Torquay, reflecting the company’s objective of expanding its estate in popular destinations across the UK. Whitbread currently offers its UK customers a choice of more than 85,500 hotel rooms and believes there is the potential for 125,000 rooms in the United Kingdom and Ireland as it takes advantage of a favourable supply backdrop and the continued decline of independent hotels and guest houses. Alex Flach, UK & Ireland Development Director, commented: “The seven new Premier Inn hotels we have opened this financial year showcase Whitbread’s commitment to expanding our presence in desirable, high-demand locations across the UK and Ireland. “All of these new openings, completed since March 2024, are leasehold developments – a testament to the strength and appeal of the Whitbread covenant among our development partners. Notably, three of these hotels were created through the conversion of vacant office buildings, a process that not only revitalises unused spaces but also prevents tonnes of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere during construction. “As hotel development becomes ever more complex, Whitbread’s collaborative and flexible approach to identifying and delivering new development opportunities is more critical than ever. Growing our estate across the UK and Ireland remains a top priority for the business, and my team and I are eager to connect with potential partners to secure and deliver the next generation of Premier Inn hotels.” The new hotels opened in Whitbread’s FY24/25 financial year so far include: Whitbread has a detailed network plan for the UK and Ireland of locations where Premier Inn is either unrepresented or where there is potential to increase the brand’s presence.  These include 40 target locations within the M25 – a strategically important growth market for the brand – as well as thirteen target locations in Ireland. At time of publishing its FY24/25 half-year results (October 2024), Whitbread offered its customers a choice of more than 85,500 Premier Inn rooms from 855 locations across the UK & Ireland.  Beyond the UK, the business is growing strongly in Germany where it has built a network of more than 10,000 Premier Inn rooms across the country and is aiming to be the no.1 hotel operator in the country. Find more on the target locations for Premier Inn in the UK and Ireland here: www.whitbread.com/property. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

All of the 36,000 personalised granite stones that will make up the spectacular Everton Way have now been sold.  The paved walkway had been widened due to popular demand along the entire length of the exterior of the south stand at Everton Stadium, expanding earlier this season from the original plan of 28,000 stones which had sold out in 2023.  The final stones were secured by fans just days after work commenced on the huge installation, which will be a focal point for visitors to Everton Stadium – featuring personal messages that celebrate Evertonians’ births, marriages, anniversaries and loved ones.  Anyone who has purchased a stone on Everton Way still has an opportunity to purchase a replica stone, which will be presented in an Everton-branded display box.  These replica stones offer an additional memento, along with the option of a personalised A4 presentation certificate of authentication.   This can be done by logging into your Everton Way account, selecting ‘adding product to booking’ within the order, and choosing the replica option. More information can be found HERE  For supporters who missed out on the chance to be part of Everton Way, there are further opportunities to cement your place at Everton Stadium and be part of history.   The Club’s latest personalisation project, The Everton Fan Wall, offers the opportunity for fans to feature in a wall of ‘originals’, as part of a pictorial mosaic depicting Everton players who have realised unique achievements while representing the club, and those who have truly embodied the Everton spirit on and off the pitch.  Evertonians around the world can submit a photo for inclusion, with all of the personal images pieced together to create a magnificent, supporter-inspired mosaic.  Places on the fan wall are on sale now HERE  Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

The Centre, Livingston is gearing up to welcome Starbucks as its latest addition, with the global coffee giant set to open later this month. Taking a 3,200 sq ft unit with seating for 90 customers, the new Starbucks location is expected to start serving mid-February, adding to the shopping destination’s extensive mix of retailers and eateries. With over 150 stores and restaurants, The Centre already boasts household names such as M&S, River Island, Flannels, H&M, Hotel Chocolat, Wagamama, Nando’s, and Five Guys. Over the past year, the retail hub has also welcomed exciting new arrivals, including Cinnabon, Rituals, Søstrene Grene, Las Iguanas, BeLeaf Juice Bar, Beauty’s Inn, Pop Specs, Buzart, Afro Crest, The Designer Rooms, Loris Parfum, The Watch Lab, Barclays Bank, and Elite Smile Dental Clinic. Adding to the line-up, Hollywood Bowl is set to open a 26,000 sq ft entertainment venue at The Centre next year, reinforcing its position as a top leisure and retail destination. Rakesh Joshi, Director at LCP, part of M Core, said: “We are delighted to kick off 2025 with the opening of Starbucks at The Centre, Livingston, further strengthening our commitment to attracting high-quality brands to the shopping centre. “The past year has been fantastic, with the arrival of international names such as Cinnabon, Rituals, and Søstrene Grene. As we expand into more experience-led activities, we have exciting plans in the pipeline that will enhance the overall visitor experience.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Whitbread Plc, the parent company of Premier Inn, has secured the freehold of 35 Red Lion Square, WC1, with plans to transform the site into a hub by Premier Inn hotel. Situated at the junction of Theobalds Road, Drake Street, and Red Lion Square, the prominent eight-storey, 47,500 sq ft building was purchased from the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) for an undisclosed sum. The property has served as the organisation’s headquarters since 2006. As part of its ongoing London expansion strategy, Whitbread sees strong potential for a 150-bedroom hub by Premier Inn at this prime location. Jonathan Langdon, Senior Acquisitions Manager at Whitbread, commented:“hub by Premier Inn has been a tremendous success since its launch in 2014. We now offer guests 18 fantastic locations—15 of which are in London—and see huge growth potential for the brand.” “The first site we ever opened was an office-to-hotel conversion in Covent Garden, and we’ve successfully delivered many similar projects since. We plan to bring this experience to 35 Red Lion Square, transforming it into a high-quality hotel in a sought-after location.” “Converting underused office buildings into hotels has enabled us to establish hub by Premier Inn in some of London’s most vibrant areas while aligning with Whitbread’s Force for Good sustainability strategy. With this latest acquisition, we look forward to working closely with Camden Council to develop plans that benefit both visitors and the local community.” Expanding in the Capital Whitbread’s purchase of 35 Red Lion Square is part of its wider commitment to growing Premier Inn’s presence across London, where a significant portion of its future development pipeline is focused. The company is actively searching for 40 new locations for Premier Inn and hub by Premier Inn hotels within the M25. Designed for high-demand city locations, hub by Premier Inn offers a compact yet stylish format that allows for affordable stays in prime areas while delivering strong long-term returns. Hotel sizes vary, from the 60-bedroom hub by Premier Inn at Bank to the upcoming 690-room flagship hub at 5 Strand, set to open in 2028. Whitbread was advised on the acquisition of 35 Red Lion Square by Frame Real Estate Partners, while the Royal College of Anaesthetists was represented by Newmark. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Loungers has taken a major step in its expansion by opening its first-ever restaurant within a covered shopping mall at Merry Hill, further enhancing the vibrant leisure quarter at the popular Dudley destination. The new 3,200 sq ft restaurant, named Toledo Lounge, offers an extensive all-day menu featuring everything from indulgent brunches to evening tapas, fresh salads, and hearty burgers. This latest addition complements the £12 million investment made into Merry Hill’s leisure quarter over the past three years, joining a stellar line-up of dining and entertainment brands such as Hollywood Bowl, ASK Italian, Wagamama, and Wingstop. Alistair Winning, asset manager at Sovereign Centros, commented on the milestone: “Merry Hill’s leisure quarter continues to thrive, with record-breaking performance and an outstanding collection of casual dining experiences. The arrival of Toledo Lounge strengthens our food and beverage offering, creating an inviting space that enhances our vision for a vibrant, all-day destination.” John English, head of community at Loungers, shared his enthusiasm for the launch: “We’re thrilled to bring our ‘home-from-home’ experience to Merry Hill. Toledo Lounge is designed to be a welcoming, relaxed space for everyone, including families, with games, colouring books, and more. We’re looking forward to becoming a key part of this dynamic community.” The opening of Toledo Lounge follows a series of new signings and reinvestments across Merry Hill’s lower retail park, covering nearly 79,000 sq ft and reinforcing the centre’s position as a leading destination for shopping, dining, and leisure. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

The first stones have been laid on Everton Way, as the biggest personalisation project at a UK stadium gets underway.  The meticulous six-month programme to install around 36,000 individually engraved granite stones in a unique paved walkway at Everton Stadium commenced this week.  And, following an extension by popular demand, supporters still have an opportunity to cement their own place in history by purchasing a stone that celebrates Evertonians’ births, marriages, anniversaries and loved ones.  Kevin O’Brien, Director of Intaglio Creative Ltd, who are managing the engraving and stone installations, declared: “It’s a momentous day!  “This is the culmination of years and years of planning and the hard work is really starting now.  “We’re down here on site and I don’t think you can underestimate the size and scale of this installation.  “When you stand at the bottom of Everton Way and look up towards the river, this is on a different scale.   “I’ve been involved in a lot of these up and down the country over the past 10 or so years, but here we are talking about 1,400 square metres and 36,000 individual stones, so it is without doubt the biggest personalisation project in the UK.”  The mapping of Everton Way, which sits immediately outside the South Stand, will allow Intaglio to eventually inform each stone owner where their message is located in the overall scheme.  The inclusion of larger granite stones representing Everton Giants, laid in and among the supporters’ own personalised stones, will also help with this wayfinding.   Kevin explained: “There’s such a variety of different sizes that precision is absolutely fundamental to making sure that Everton Way looks as good as possible.   “Supporters will be contacted directly once the overall scheme is installed, telling them exactly where in this installation their stone is going to be.   “That email will come with a simple map that will guide them to the location that their stone is in, and that will happen later in the summer when we’ve finished the whole installation and mapping.”  A recent further extension to the scheme, due to a growing waiting list of worldwide fans, means Everton Way will now stretch the entire length of the exterior of the spectacular, single-tier, South Stand and be increased from 28,000 stones to 36,000.  And there is still an opportunity to purchase a personalised granite stone, with a limited number available in a range of sizes and designs. These can be ordered by clicking HERE.  Kevin added: “We are nearly there in terms of getting everything ready, with just a few of the Everton Giants to finish, which will be the showpiece pieces within Everton Way.   “Once complete it will be amazing and, as an Evertonian, I can’t wait to see it finished.”  In addition to having a stone at Everton Stadium – and ahead of installation – supporters also have the chance to purchase a replica stone.  Presented in an Everton-branded display box, these replica stones offer an additional memento, along with the option of a personalised A4 presentation certificate of authentication.  Book your Everton Way stone HERE: https://evertonway.com/#/book/select-products  Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals