Hotel Chocolat bolsters hospitality offering for Surrey shopping centre with new site

Woking Shopping has revealed luxury chocolatier Hotel Chocolat is moving into The Peacocks Centre for its latest 320 sq ft site.

Due to open on September 13, the store will be designed by an in-house team. The signing aims to bolster Woking Shopping’s food and drinks offering, which includes Côte, Bill’s, Carluccio’s, Las Iguanas and Loungers.

Cllr David Bittleston, Woking Borough Council leader, said: “As we continue with our town centre regeneration, Woking is fast becoming a destination of choice for premium brands.

“We’re very proud that Hotel Chocolat has chosen Woking to open its latest store, which will add to our exciting retail and restaurant offer.”

The signing coincides with the ongoing construction of Victoria Square development, including 125,000 sq ft of new retail floorspace anchored by a 50,000 sq ft Marks & Spencer store and a 27,000 sq ft Boots.

There will also be 429 residential apartments in two towers of 30 and 34 storeys; 1,570 new car parking spaces; two new public plazas; and 189-room four-star Hilton Hotel.

Angus Thirlwell, CEO and co-founder of Hotel Chocolat, added: “We have closely followed Woking Shopping’s progress for a number of years and the time is right to join the centre’s thriving offer.

“Woking Shopping is going from strength-to-strength, whilst the Victoria Square development adds a significant and exciting new dimension.

“We look forward to bringing our passion for world-class chocolate to the town and are confident our indulgent offering will be well received.”

Woking Shopping serves a catchment of 1.1m people with an available spend of £2.6bn. Upon completion of Victoria Square, Woking’s market potential could increase by 11 per cent to £226m.

JLL and Nash Bond acted for Woking Shopping, and Harper Dennis Hobbs acted for Hotel Chocolat.