Helmsley Group acquires 'prime' York city centre building

Property investment and development specialist Helmsley Group has purchased 2 Lendal, a Grade II listed detached building in central York, on behalf of its investor network.

Currently home to two restaurants including national Italian restaurant chain Zizzi, and Nola, an independent restaurant serving Creole-influenced dishes, the building was purchased from a private investor for an undisclosed sum. Both Zizzi and Nola will remain as tenants.

The building is located in a prime area of York city centre and is in close proximity to a number of other food and drink establishments, including Zaap Thai, House of Trembling Madness, Pizza Express and The Judge’s Lodging.

2 Lendal is one of a number of acquisitions made by Helmsley in central York over recent years, with the Group recently having purchased buildings on neighbouring Coney Street, including 19 Coney Street, a 50,000 sq ft retail unit currently occupied by Next and Monsoon, as well as numbers three to seven Coney Street, housing JD Sports, Lush, Mango and the newly-opened Rosa’s Thai.

These acquisitions form part of the Group’s wider vision for the regeneration of Coney Street, the details of which will be revealed in the coming months.

Commenting on the purchase, Alexia Swift-Cookson, head of asset management at Helmsley Group, said: “2 Lendal is a prominent building is located within a thriving leisure pitch, close to the Guildhall, York Minster and the riverfront, and has the potential to offer positive return on investment over the medium to long-term.

“As one of York’s longest-serving and most well-known property companies, we have made a continued commitment to the future of central York, and this most recent purchase will allow us to further develop our strategy of creating resilient high streets which offer diverse leisure and retail opportunities to visitors and local people alike.

“We are exploring further development and investment opportunities in this area and are confident of taking these forward over the coming months.”