Barberry has strengthened its leisure line-up after securing a West Midlands city centre letting to expanding gym operator Trident Fitness. The Midlands-based investor and developer completed the 10-year lease at 50 Bishop Street, Coventry, shortly after previous tenant Pure Gym vacated the 19,555 sq ft unit. Barberry property surveyor Emilie Meddings said Trident Fitness agreed heads of terms promptly, with the lease completing at a rent of £175,000 per annum, subject to an upward-only rent review in year five. Positioned within Coventry’s ring road and adjacent to a sizeable car park, 50 Bishop Street represents a prime city centre retail and leisure opportunity, offering strong accessibility and prominence in the heart of the West Midlands. Trident Fitness has taken the entire building as part of its continued UK expansion. The operator has a proven trading history and a growing portfolio of gyms across the UK including Birmingham, Liverpool, Plymouth, Bridgwater, Weston-super-Mare and Yeovil. Emilie said: “We are delighted to have secured Trident Fitness at 50 Bishop Street on a 10-year term. The letting demonstrates continued demand for well-located, high-quality leisure accommodation in strong regional city centres. “Following Pure Gym’s departure in October, we acted swiftly to secure a new occupier on robust terms that reflect both the strength of the asset and Coventry’s improving city centre offer. Trident Fitness is an ambitious and expanding operator with a strong track record, and we are pleased to support their continued growth.” The deal underlines Barberry’s continued focus on proactive asset management, securing long-term income and keeping its regional portfolio in peak condition. Barberry has a 3.6 million sq ft industrial/logistics development pipeline with a Gross Development Value of more than £650 million and a growing income-producing commercial portfolio, delivering sustainable returns. The company also has 520 acres of strategically located residential and employment development land, capable of delivering 3,500 new homes. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Fast-growing, QSR brand, Chopstix, has continued its impressive 2026 expansion, opening its latest store in Colchester. Opening on Culver Street West, just a short walk from Colchester Castle, the new store is the first site in the busy city centre and is part of a wider growth plan to target high footfall locations. Colchester is the latest step in a busy period of growth for Chopstix following investment from European quick service restaurant operator, QSRP in October of 2024, and closely follows the opening of the brand’s first international opening, in Paris, earlier this year. With Essex identified as a significant opportunity for growth for the business, the Colchester store will create 20 jobs for local people. With more than 150 Chopstix stores across the UK, the business boasts a strong pipeline of new sites, through both company operated and franchise ownership models. Colchester marks the company’s third UK opening of 2026 and the first store to open in Essex, since it launched in Basildon in June 2024. Jon Lake, Chopstix Managing Director, said: “We’ve been looking at growing our presence in Essex for some time, following the popularity of sites in Basildon and Romford. Colchester is a fantastic city, and it felt like a natural next step for us to open here, I’m confident the store will see great success.” Chopstix was established in Camden Market in 2002 by entrepreneurs Sam Elia and Menashe Sadik, who remain involved with the business on a day-to-day basis. The Chopstix Group has undergone a busy period of brand development and expansion as Chopstix sets its sights on becoming the largest Asian QSR company on the continent.  For more information please visit: www.chopstixnoodles.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Gilbert-Ash and Whitbread celebrate a double topping out in Dublin City Centre Leading construction company Gilbert-Ash celebrated a significant milestone with the topping out of Premier Inn Jervis Street and Premier Inn O’Connell Street, in the centre of Dublin. The topping out ceremonies for both hotels were attended by Gilbert-Ash, its valued client Whitbread PLC, which owns Premier Inn, and key project stakeholders. The new hotels at Jervis Street and O’Connell Street will create 444 of Premier Inn’s latest format guest bedrooms in the heart of Dublin, where the brand is expanding rapidly. The developments also signal a major step forward in Gilbert-Ash’s growth ambitions within its home market of Ireland. Premier Inn Jervis Street is a 215-bedroom hotel reshaping a prominent corner at the intersection of Jervis Street and Abbey Street Upper. The project includes the demolition of the existing building and construction of a seven- storey building plus a basement and roof, with an onsite restaurant and bar on the ground floor overlooking Wolfe Tone Park. Premier Inn O’Connell Street is a 229-bedroom hotel located within the Clerys Quarter redevelopment. The works include construction of an eight-storey building plus a basement and roof, with restaurant and reception to ground floor. Both hotels are due for completion at the end of 2026 and are scheduled to open and welcome guests in early 2027. Gilbert-Ash Managing Director, Ray Hutchinson, said the company was proud to continue its partnership with Whitbread on two landmark hotel projects that will add significant strength to Dublin’s growing hospitality sector. He said: “Reaching the topping out stage is always a rewarding milestone. It’s the moment when we start to see the building emerge from its plans. “Both the Premier Inn Jervis Street and Premier Inn Clerys projects continue to make excellent progress, and collaborating with Whitbread and our wider project partners has been hugely satisfying. “I have no doubt that, when they open, both Premier Inn hotels will become highly sought-after destinations for visitors to Dublin.” Emma O’Shiel, Project and Programme Manager for Whitbread in Ireland, said: “Topping out two prime Dublin City Centre hotel developments on the same day demonstrates the scale of Premier Inn’s ambitions in Ireland. It shows how successful we are at bringing our affordable, consistent product to the best locations – and how fast we are working to grow a top-class network for our customers. “But we don’t work alone, and we need the support of an experienced contractor and development team to build complex hotel developments to our high standards. So, my thanks go out to Gilbert-Ash and the whole consultant team who have worked so hard to create these two-flagship new Premier Inn hotels for us.” Whitbread acquired Twilfit House on Jervis Street in January 2019, successfully securing planning approval from Dublin City Council to redevelop the former museum site into a 215-key hotel. The Clery’s Quarter development site was acquired by the business in August 2022 with planning permission already secured in June 2023. Whitbread currently offers its customers a choice of six hotels in Ireland across Dublin and Cork, offering more than 1,000 bedrooms, with an additional 1,200 rooms secured in its development pipeline. It is targeting a 5,000-bedroom network across Ireland. Gilbert-Ash has a unique approach to construction, fit-out and refurbishment based on the belief that great buildings come about through hard work, inspired innovation and genuine collaboration. Sustainability is a key focus for Gilbert-Ash with a number of initiatives underway to help the company to drive down its carbon footprint. Both the Jervis Street and O’Connell Street Premier Inn hotels have been designed to achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’. To find out more about Gilbert-Ash visit www.gilbertash.com. For more on Whitbread PLC visit www.whitbread.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Atis is expanding its London estate again, with the fast-growing restaurant brand set to open its 16th site at The Broadway, the 1 million sq ft mixed-use development in St James’s Park. Founded in 2019 by Eleanor Warder and Phil Honer, Atis will take a 3,600 sq ft unit at the scheme, adding to a portfolio that already includes locations in Covent Garden, Notting Hill, Borough Yards, Mayfair and King’s Cross. The latest signing underlines the brand’s continued push into prime central London destinations with strong commuter and office footfall. Atis will join an emerging food and lifestyle line-up at The Broadway, alongside operators including Farmer J, Açaí Berry, Nostos Coffee and Nobleman Barber. The development is seeking to establish a high-quality, wellness-led retail mix that supports the needs of residents, office occupiers and visitors throughout the day. Designed by Squire & Partners, The Broadway comprises 258 homes arranged across six towers, 116,000 sq ft of office accommodation and 24,000 sq ft of street-level retail and dining space. A number of units remain available and are currently being marketed by CBRE. The deal follows the recent appointment of property developer Valouran as asset manager for The Broadway, signalling a renewed focus on curating the scheme’s commercial and retail offering. Alex Michelin, co-founder and chief executive of Valouran, said Atis is one of the capital’s fastest-growing food brands and an ideal fit for the development. He noted that the restaurant will occupy a prominent corner position with frontages onto both Broadway and Victoria Street, helping reinforce the destination’s retail appeal. Phil Honer, co-founder of Atis, said The Broadway’s location aligns strongly with the brand’s approach to simple, real food served in carefully designed spaces. He added that the team is looking forward to becoming part of the area’s continued evolution and introducing Atis to a new audience in St James’s Park. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

With Netflix’s Being Gordon Ramsay now streaming, viewers are given a glimpse inside one of London’s most recognisable towers – 22 Bishopsgate. While the spotlight falls on Ramsay’s new Lucky Cat restaurant, the opening episode also highlights the architectural ambition behind the building itself. Designed by PLP Architecture, 22 Bishopsgate was conceived as a “Vertical Village” – a mixed-use tower that integrates work, hospitality, wellness and culture from the outset. Ramsay describes the 60th floor restaurant space as “an iconic building in the middle of the city”, remarking on its 27,000 sq ft footprint and dramatic scale. Yet Lucky Cat is more than a restaurant with panoramic views; it represents the realisation of a design philosophy embedded into the project from day one. Nearly 13 per cent of the building is dedicated to amenity space, significantly above the London Grade A office average. Restaurants, bars, landscaped terraces and London’s highest free public viewing gallery are distributed throughout the upper levels, opening the tower to the public and redefining the traditional commercial skyscraper model. At level 60, Lucky Cat pairs Asian-inspired dining with an open kitchen concept and sweeping views across the capital. Its position at the summit reinforces the building’s commitment to experience-led design, where hospitality is not an afterthought but a defining feature. More broadly, 22 Bishopsgate reflects a shift in workplace architecture. By embedding destination hospitality within commercial towers, developers can create vibrant ecosystems that promote wellbeing, encourage collaboration and enhance tenant appeal. Lee Polisano, co-founder and partner at PLP Architecture, said the original vision was to create an integrated vertical village in the sky, seamlessly blending work and entertainment. With Lucky Cat now complete, he believes the final piece of that vision has fallen into place, fulfilling the building’s intended purpose as a landmark for modern city living and working. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

GMI Construction Group has started preparatory works ahead of a £30m renovation and restoration of Huddersfield’s landmark George Hotel. The Grade II* listed building, which has stood empty since 2013, is being transformed into a 108-room hotel featuring a bar, restaurant, gym and conference facilities. Located opposite Huddersfield railway station, the prominent site occupies a key position on St George’s Square. Once completed, the revitalised hotel will be operated by Radisson Hotel Group under its Radisson Red brand, marking the first Radisson Red hotel in Yorkshire. GMI has been involved in the project for the past two years, working alongside Kirklees Council, which acquired the property in August 2020. A central challenge has been striking the right balance between safeguarding the building’s historic character and ensuring its long-term commercial viability. Revised proposals secured approval in October 2025 as part of the Huddersfield Blueprint regeneration programme, clearing the way for main construction works to commence. The scheme will retain and restore the hotel’s distinctive stone façade, preserving its historic frontage onto St George’s Square. At the rear, two additional storeys of accommodation will be added in a design intended to complement rather than compete with the original architecture. Ed Weston, GMI’s regional director for Yorkshire, said the company was proud to deliver a landmark project that restores a significant part of Huddersfield’s heritage while contributing to long-term economic growth and community renewal. He noted that the transformation reflects a commitment to careful, high-quality delivery that respects the building’s historic importance. Councillor Graham Turner, Kirklees Council’s cabinet member for finance and regeneration, described the scheme as one of the flagship projects within the Huddersfield Blueprint. He said the George Hotel acts as a gateway building into the town centre and, once refurbished, will help strengthen the local economy while offering visitors a prime place to stay. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Burger King has unveiled its latest acquisition requirements as it accelerates plans to grow its UK estate, targeting 30 new restaurant openings annually. The fast-food operator, which currently trades from around 600 locations nationwide, is seeking units between 1,500 sq ft and 3,000 sq ft. Both freehold and leasehold opportunities are under consideration, reflecting a flexible approach to securing the right sites. The brand is actively targeting space within retail and leisure parks, major shopping centres and prominent high street locations. The expansion drive signals continued confidence in bricks-and-mortar dining, particularly in high-footfall and well-connected destinations. BKUK, Burger King’s largest UK franchisee, is leading the growth strategy across Great Britain. To support the rollout, the operator has appointed a team of property agents to identify suitable opportunities across key regions. Morgan Williams has been instructed to source sites nationally, while Savills and EYCO will focus on opportunities in Scotland. In the South of England, LM has been retained, with Space Property Consultants and Barker Proudlove appointed to secure units in the East Midlands and the North East respectively. The renewed push for expansion highlights the brand’s ambition to strengthen its presence across a diverse mix of urban and out-of-town locations, capitalising on consumer demand for convenience-led dining and drive-to destinations. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals