Leading greeting card and gift retailer Cards Direct has announced ambitious expansion plans for 2025, aiming to open more than 20 new stores across the UK. Currently operating over 80 locations, the retailer is actively seeking prime and high-footfall secondary retail spaces, including shopping centres and high streets. Ideal units will range between 1,200 sq ft and 2,000 sq ft, with a minimum frontage of 18 ft. Following a successful year in 2024—when the company launched 21 new stores—Cards Direct already boasts a presence in major retail destinations such as The Centre in Milton Keynes, Queensgate in Peterborough, and Cabot Circus in Bristol. Target Locations for Expansion The retailer has identified key towns and cities for its next wave of openings, including: Barnsley, Bolton, Bournemouth, Bracknell, Bradford, Brighton, Bromley, Burnley, Bury, Camberley, Cardiff, Epsom, Huddersfield, Kingston, Lincoln, Liverpool, Maidstone, Norwich, Nottingham, Oldham, Oxford, Preston, Reading, Sheffield, Stoke-on-Trent, Swansea, Uxbridge, Warrington, Watford, Wood Green, Worcester. AS Retail has been appointed to spearhead the search for suitable units as Cards Direct continues its strategic expansion. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

The LEGO Group is set to open its first-ever store in Northern Ireland, choosing Victoria Square in Belfast as its flagship location. Expected to launch this summer, the 1,776 sq ft store will offer an immersive shopping experience, featuring a ‘Pick a Brick’ wall, a Minifigure Tower, and a host of interactive monthly events for fans of all ages. The arrival of LEGO follows a wave of new leasing activity at Victoria Square, with brands such as The White Company, Rituals UK & Ireland, Knoops, and JD Sports Fashion all expanding their presence at the retail destination. Russell Banham, UK Head at Commerz Real, Victoria Square’s asset manager, said:“The LEGO Group is one of the world’s most recognisable brands, and we are thrilled they have chosen Victoria Square for their first Northern Ireland store. As the region’s leading retail and leisure destination, this addition strengthens our already diverse mix of premium brands. It’s fantastic news not only for LEGO enthusiasts but also for the broader retail landscape in Northern Ireland.” Cushman & Wakefield represented The LEGO Group in the deal, while Savills and Lambert Smith Hampton acted on behalf of Commerz Real. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Spanish fashion giant Mango is accelerating its UK expansion with plans to open 20 new stores in 2025, further strengthening its presence in key locations across the country. The latest openings are part of the retailer’s ambitious 2024-26 growth strategy, which aims to increase Mango’s footprint and bring its total number of UK stores to over 90. Following a successful year of expansion in 2024, the brand is set to make an even bigger impact in the coming months. Major Openings in London and Beyond Six of the new stores will be in London, including a second flagship store on Oxford Street. Other prime locations include Kensington High Street and Long Acre in Covent Garden, reinforcing Mango’s commitment to high-visibility retail spaces in the capital. Beyond London, the expansion will extend across the UK and Ireland, with new stores opening in Birmingham, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, Belfast, Craigavon, and Cardiff. These locations reflect Mango’s strategy of reaching a wider customer base and strengthening its presence in major shopping destinations. A Strong Commitment to Growth Mango, which currently operates in around 70 locations across the UK, is continuing its push to become a leading fashion retailer in the market. The brand has seen strong demand for its stylish, contemporary collections, and its store expansion is designed to enhance the in-person shopping experience for customers. Daniel López, Director of Expansion and Franchising at Mango, commented: “The UK remains one of our priority markets for international growth. Our 2025 expansion plan builds on the success of our store openings in 2024, allowing us to increase our reach and bring the Mango experience even closer to our customers.” With a growing presence in key retail hubs and a focus on delivering high-quality fashion in prime locations, Mango’s expansion signals confidence in the UK market. As the brand continues to invest in physical retail, shoppers can expect even greater access to its latest collections in stylish, well-designed stores nationwide. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Clowes Developments’ 20-acre Stud Brook Business Park has taken another important step forward as the units which will be occupied by Sainsbury’s and Starbucks reach practical completion. The developer received planning permission for the Sainsbury’s convenience store and Starbucks ‘drive-thru’ last July – both units are now ready for the well-known brands to move in and begin their fit-out programme as construction contractor Roe Developments delivers the buildings on time and according to schedule. James Richards, Development Director at Clowes Developments, said: “It’s fantastic to see the Sainsbury’s and Starbucks units reaching practical completion – both will complement the industrial and warehouse offering at Stud Brook Business Park and will be a real convenience boost for the neighbouring residents – as well as bringing new jobs to the area.” Stud Brook Business Park, a high-quality scheme at Castle Donington will include units ranging from 8,500 to 30,000sq ft when completed. The warehouse and industrial units will be delivered by a team including IMA Architects, lead contractor TanRo, Millwards engineers and Postins Project Services. The delivery team are aiming for a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating and an EPC rating of ‘A’ for units 2-7, in line with Clowes Developments’ sustainability goals. Features include recycling solutions, solar-ready roofs, electric vehicle charging points and landscaping. Additionally, units 2-7 will be delivered as ‘Net Zero in Occupation’, which will enable future occupiers to operate at Net Zero emissions. Stud Brook Business Park will cater for small and medium-sized businesses while also accommodating larger national operators with recognised household names to be announced in due course. Marketing for the development is being led by FHP Property Consultants and NG Chartered Surveyors. Tim Gilbertson at FHP Property Consultants, said: “We know how onsite facilities improve the attraction of industrial estates substantially providing effectively breakout areas and opportunities to ‘get away from the desk’ or have impromptu meetings for business owners and staff alike, so for FHP to have secured both Starbucks and Sainsbury’s for this scheme is great news all round and will, I have no doubt, help us to find the last couple of occupiers for the few units remaining.” Richard Sutton, Managing Director at NG Chartered Surveyors, added: “It’s brilliant news that these first two units are set to be occupied by such big-hitters. This will only help drive even more quality occupiers to Stud Brook Business Park – and the level of demand we’ve seen for this high-end development has already been incredibly high.” Clowes and their agents are currently marketing a handful of speculatively developed units that sit within the first phase of the development which will be ready for occupation by the Spring. Additionally, they are now starting to take enquiries from trade counter operators. Plot 1 sits at the front of the site, benefitting from a prominent roadside presence and onsite parking, these units ranging in size from 3,229 – 4,606sq ft will wrap around the new Starbucks Drive-Thru facility, this part of the business park has been designed to enhance amenities for locals, occupiers and visitors. Remaining opportunities are available on a leasehold basis. Interested parties are invited to contact agents directly via richards@ng-cs.com and tim@fhp.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Castore is set to expand its retail footprint in 2025, with plans to open between five and 10 new stores following its strongest-ever Christmas trading period. The premium sportswear brand saw a surge in sales over the festive season, driven by strong demand for football shirts and Formula 1 merchandise. Sales of McLaren F1 and Red Bull Racing gear rose by 20% year-on-year, while the brand’s womenswear range also saw significant growth, with sales up more than 30% compared to the previous year. Co-founder Tom Beahon commented:“We are delighted to have delivered such resilient trading in a challenging environment, and this positive momentum has continued into January. Our strategy remains focused on omnichannel retail, combining the best of digital, physical stores, and direct-to-consumer sales to maximise Castore’s reach. Product innovation remains central to our success, and we look forward to launching exciting new ranges this year.” Castore, which currently operates 25 stores across the UK and Ireland, expanded last year with new locations in Centre:mk, Derbion, Braehead Shopping Centre, and The O2 London. Looking ahead, Beahon remains optimistic about the brand’s growth prospects:“Despite economic uncertainties, we are confident about 2025 and expect continued profitable expansion in both the UK and international markets.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

WHSmith has confirmed it is considering strategic options for its high street business, including a potential sale, as the retailer sharpens its focus on its expanding global travel division. The company, which operates around 500 high street stores across the UK, has seen its travel arm grow significantly, now contributing 85% of its trading profit. In contrast, its high street stores remain centred around books, stationery, and greeting cards. Reports suggest that WHSmith has engaged investment bankers at Greenhill to oversee the sales process, with discussions already underway with potential buyers. A deal could be finalised in the coming months. Last year, WHSmith’s high street business generated an operating profit of £32 million, though the company has been restructuring its portfolio, recently announcing the closure of 17 stores. While a sale is under consideration, WHSmith has stated that no final decision has been made, and further updates will be provided in due course. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Books and stationery retailer The Works has unveiled plans to open 60 new stores over the next five years as part of its growth strategy. The company aims to boost sales to over £375 million by 2030. Currently operating 506 stores across the UK, The Works is focusing on expanding its footprint in approximately 100 target locations. Recent activity included three new store openings, two relocations, and eight closures of underperforming outlets during the first half of the 2025 financial year. A further net reduction of five stores is expected by the end of the year, followed by plans to resume growth with five new stores in 2026. In the 26 weeks ending 3rd November 2024, The Works reported a 1.3% increase in total revenue, reaching £124.2 million. Like-for-like sales dipped slightly by 0.8%, aligning with expectations, while adjusted pre-tax losses improved from £10.4 million to £6.5 million. Chief Executive Officer Gavin Peck remains optimistic despite challenges such as fragile consumer confidence and rising costs. He commented: “We are confident that our actions to grow revenue, enhance margins, and reduce costs will deliver better results this year and in FY26. Our new strategy lays the groundwork to transform The Works, significantly improving performance and shareholder returns in the years to come.” The retailer’s plans signal a renewed focus on sustainable growth and operational efficiency, positioning it as a key player in the competitive retail landscape. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Discount retailer Savers has announced ambitious plans to open 32 new stores across the UK in 2025. Known for offering a wide range of health, household, toiletries, and beauty products, the company is actively seeking locations in retail parks, high streets, and shopping centres to expand its footprint. Savers is targeting units with ground-floor sales areas ranging from 1,800 sq ft to 5,000 sq ft, ensuring ample space to cater to its growing customer base. Here’s the full list of locations Savers is eyeing for its expansion: By focusing on key locations and optimised retail spaces, Savers continues its mission to deliver high-quality, affordable products to more customers across the UK. Stay tuned for updates as the expansion unfolds in 2025. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Aldi is set to open nine stores in the capital this year as part of a £55 million investment within the M25.   Building on its promise to bring unbeatable value to even more Londoners, the supermarket has revealed four of the locations set to welcome new Aldi stores in the next 12 months.  Shoppers in Wimbledon, Fulham Broadway, Caterham and Orpington are all set to benefit from a new Aldi store in 2025. The openings form part of Aldi’s £650 million investment in Britain in 2025. The investment also includes upgrades at some of its existing locations within the M25, including an extension to its Colindale store. Aldi has a long-term ambition to open another 100 stores in London, creating around 3,500 new jobs. Jonathan Neale, Managing Director of National Real Estate at Aldi UK, said: “We strongly believe that everyone in Britain should have access to high quality food at our unbeatable Aldi prices.  But we know that there are still thousands of shoppers in the capital that don’t yet have access to an Aldi nearby. “We don’t think it’s fair that so many people still have to make do with big prices at other supermarkets, which is why London continues to be a real focus for us as we work to bring even more Aldi stores to shoppers across the capital.” Aldi has been named by Which? as officially the UK’s cheapest supermarket of the year for 2024, the fourth year in a row the supermarket has picked up the title. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Landsec has closed 2024 on a high, reporting a stellar performance across its retail destinations during the year’s ‘golden quarter.’ Sales and footfall surged ahead of expectations, solidifying its position as a leader in the UK retail property market. Impressive Growth in Spending and Footfall During the quarter, more than £800 million was spent across Landsec’s portfolio, marking a 3.8% year-on-year increase—well above the British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) reported sales growth of 0.4% for the same period. Notably, Trinity Leeds experienced a remarkable 13.1% boost in sales, driven by the arrival of major brands like Nike and Zara earlier in the year. Footfall also saw a notable uptick, rising 1.9% year-on-year, in stark contrast to the BRC benchmark, which recorded a 2.5% decline during the same period. December alone brought an additional one million visitors to Landsec retail destinations, underscoring their appeal as go-to shopping and leisure hubs. Strategic Investments Paying Off This success builds on Landsec’s earlier half-year results, which revealed that occupancy rates at its major retail destinations had surpassed pre-pandemic levels. A shift in strategy by brands to focus on fewer, higher-quality stores has aligned perfectly with Landsec’s emphasis on premium retail experiences. Bluewater in Kent emerged as a standout performer, welcoming ten new stores during the quarter, including high-profile names like Sephora, Bershka, and Aesop. Bruce Findlay, Managing Director for Retail at Landsec, highlighted the company’s growing dominance:“Following our recent acquisition of Liverpool ONE, we now own seven out of the top thirty performing retail destinations in the UK. These best-in-class locations continue to outperform benchmarks as both brands and shoppers gravitate towards prime spaces.” The All-Day Experience Advantage Landsec attributes its success to offering more than just retail. The combination of premium brands, well-designed stores, and all-day-out experiences has proven to be a winning formula. With increased footfall and sales, brands are reinvesting in these prime locations, ensuring continued growth and consumer appeal. As Landsec heads into 2025, its strategy of curating vibrant, high-performing retail spaces positions it as a key player in shaping the future of UK retail. The strong results from the ‘golden quarter’ are a testament to the enduring value of investing in premium destinations that cater to both brands and consumers alike. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals