Five most exciting retail developments setting up shop in Yorkshire

To help introduce the brand new lifestyle section on Bdaily, I wanted to shout about how Yorkshire has firmly established itself as one of the UK’s prime shopping locations. Therefore, I have compiled a list to highlight some of what I believe to be the biggest and most exciting retail and leisure announcements to hit the region.

Meadowhall - Sheffield

Only just last month, it was confirmed that approval had been granted for the £300m extension for a brand new Leisure Hall at Meadowhall in Sheffield. The multi-level extension will comprise a new restaurants, a brand new cinema to replace the existing cinema, a new café court, gym and additional leisure space. The plans also include a new open-air terrace that will allow visitors to dine outside.

As a result of these plans, all 61 occupiers with leases due to expire renewed their tenancies and eight of these retailers increased the size of their space within the centre. In addition, 30 new brands have also signed at Meadowhall over the last 18 months, with Flannels, Tag Heuer, Nespresso, Neal’s Yard and Godiva all joining the centre.

The Glass Works - Barnsley

The Glass Works is a forthcoming 590,000 sq ft retail scheme in Barnsley town centre. The £130m scheme recently received planning approval for phase two, which includes the development of 100,000 sq ft of new retail space, over 25,000 sq ft of food and drink units and over 90,000 sq ft of leisure facilities.

Among the leisure developments will be a 13-screen cinema operated by Cineworld and a bowling alley operated by Superbowl UK. A 494 space multi storey car park will also support the project. The scheme is scheduled for completion in May 2020.

Thorpe Park - Leeds

Thorpe Park Leeds, which is already an established 800,000 sq ft business park, is set to launch a brand new 300,000 sq ft retail and leisure park. The heart of the scheme will be linked to a retail terrace of 25 shops and 11 restaurants by a 16-metre wide central plaza running east to west through the development.

Pure Gym has already agreed to take a 17,000 sq ft unit for a large gym floor and class studios at the park, following Boots, Next, M&S Simply Food, TK Maxx and The Outfit in taking major stores. ODEON is also set to open a 60,000 sq. ft. multi-screen, 2000-seat cinema.

White Rose - Leeds

This past July, the White Rose Shopping Centre unveiled a brand new 65,000 sq ft leisure extension named The Village. Pizza Hut, TGI Friday’s, Five Guys, Chiquito, Limeyard and Wagamama.

The new restaurants are joined by an outdoor children’s play area and a 11-screen IMAX Cineworld multiplex, which will open towards the end of the year. The opening of The Village also coincided with the launch of White Rose’s brand new Next store, which saw the clothing brand invest £6m into it’s new Yorkshire flagship.

IKEA -Sheffield

Concluding the list is the opening of the brand new IKEA in Sheffield. The furniture retail giant’s new store, located on the old Tinsley Wire site near Meadowhall, features inspirational room sets, a crèche, restaurant, bistro and car park with around 1,000 free spaces.

IKEA Sheffield, which covers 35,000 square metres, is the retailer’s most sustainable store to date and has achieved a BREEAM ‘excellent’ accreditation. The design incorporates a number of sustainable technologies including photovoltaic panels and rainwater harvesting as part of the store’s commitment to achieving 100% renewable energy by 2020.