Popular German eatery Herman Ze German is to open its first UK site outside of London at Grand Central, Birmingham. Due to open on April 1st 2019, the brand will be located next to Tortilla within Birmingham’s iconic Bullring Estate, which comprises Bullring & Grand Central, and Link Street. 

Sloane Stanley has today announced that luxury sofa and bespoke furniture specialists, The Sofa & Chair Company, has opened an exclusive pop-up at 320 King’s Road. The pop-up calls upon established retail partners, from the King’s Road, to create new bespoke showrooms for visitors.

Shelley Sandzer, the leading specialist UK leisure property agency, has acted on behalf of the brand in a deal which will see Neapolitan sourdough pizza brand, Franco Manca, secure its next London location at 29/31 Greenwich Church Street, due to open in April.

Shaftesbury has announced Seven Dials is set to host a week-long celebration for International Women’s Day in March, in support of the West End destination’s overarching 2019 theme of #Balanceforbetter. A wide variety of initiatives, including a dedicated hub and collaboration with Scarlett Curtis - feminist activist and author - will take place, alongside activations by numerous brands in the location.  

A new independent American-Italian restaurant, Smoke and Dough, is to open its first location in the UK on Liverpool ONE’s Terrace, overlooking Chavasse Park.  The 7,000 sq ft venue will include 150 covers and feature a late-night bar of 50 covers with an exclusive outdoor seating area.

Hermes Investment Management, the £33.5 billion fund manager, has announced that the Grade A Ascent 3 building at Farnborough Aerospace Centre has secured Discover Financial Services, a leading direct banking and payments services company, which is taking almost 46,000 sq ft for its new UK head office.

LabTech, owner of Camden Market, has unveiled plans for the redevelopment of Buck Street Market, due to launch in Summer 2019.  Comprising 52 recycled shipping containers, Buck Street, will expand on Camden’s retail and dining offer for local visitors.

The St David’s Partnership, owners of St David’s in Cardiff, one of the UK’s premier retail and leisure destinations, has announced a newly upsized store for Danish shoe retailer, ECCO. The brand has moved to a new store on Upper Grand Arcade near John Lewis.

One of Edinburgh’s favourite pizza brands, @pizza, has officially opened its first restaurant in England, at Grand Central, Birmingham. The restaurant is @pizza’s second in its estate.

Lendlease and Invesco Real Estate, the global real estate investment manager, have announced that Skechers, the global lifestyle and performance footwear brand, has signed for a brand-new store at Queensgate in Peterborough.

This article first appeared on CoStar on February 25, 2019

We moved into new offices at WeWork’s Aviation House in Holborn last December.  Personally, I did so with some reluctance, having been based in a very different version of a managed office some years before.

Nearly three months on, what do I think?  We should have made the move sooner.  More than that, however, I believe there is much for the retail property sector to reflect on in the success of WeWork from an occupier’s perspective.

Grosvenor Europe has announced that work on School Lane Hotel, Liverpool ONE’s new independent hotel, will begin this spring.  Located in the Russell Building on the corner of School Lane and Peter’s Lane, the new hotel will be operated by Hope Street Hotel Ltd in a joint venture with YPG Developments Ltd.

ICON Outlet at The O2, the UK’s first urban outlet developed by AEG and Crosstree Real Estate Partners has announced the opening of Brooks Brothers, America’s oldest retailer. 

Shaftesbury has announced that casual noodle and dumpling concept, Shanghai Modern, has officially opened at 14 Newport Place in Central Cross, a 48,000 sq ft mixed-use development in Chinatown London.

Shaftesbury has announced that three independent, specialist retailers totalling 5,000 sq ft are joining Seven Dials, enhancing the unique character of the shopping and lifestyle destination in the heart of London’s West End. 

Sloane Stanley has today announced the launch of The Wardrobe Workshop, an independent pop-up for pre-loved and new fashion items. The brand will be trading from February 25 to March 10 at 325 King’s Road, in the heart of Chelsea.

Following the recent opening of ICON Outlet, a 210,000 sq ft premium urban outlet development by AEG and Crosstree Real Estate Partners, The O2 has announced a new wave of restaurants set to open shortly, cementing its position as the best destination for world-class retail, dining and entertainment.  Taking the total number of bars and restaurants under the world-famous tented roof of The O2 to 34, the best vegan, street food and international restaurants will be opening this spring including by CHLOE., Hai Di Lao, Hook, Beer + Burger, Benito’s Hat, Thunderbird and Scarlet.

Shaftesbury has announced that Asia’s largest social gaming internet café, Wanyoo Café, has officially opened its debut European eSports studio, offering gaming stations, leisure areas and co-working spaces at 77-79 Charing Cross Road.

Following recent international brands, including YiFang and Guo C 100, choosing Chinatown London as their European debut, Shaftesbury have welcomed Monga Fried Chicken to 12 Macclesfield Street.

Shaftesbury has welcomed award-winning Sichuanese restaurant, JinLi, who have opened a second restaurant at Central Cross, named JinLi Chinatown.