Swindon & Wiltshire News
Next commits to major investment at its Cribbs store
Retailer Next has announced plans for a major investment at its Cribbs store as it commits to an upsize and refit of its fashion space.
Next will upsize its clothing store to a larger 47,000 sq ft space at Cribbs Mall allowing the retailer to showcase more of its fashion and accessories offering.
The investment by Next continues the run of brands committing their futures to Cribbs and investing in their spaces over the past few years.
Meanwhile, the retailer has confirmed that it will be bringing its Bath and Body Works concept to the South West with Cribbs being the home of its first standalone store in the region after agreeing to lease a 1,797 sq ft unit.
M&S completed a full refit of its 103,000 sq ft store, including the introduction of a fresh market-style Foodhall and M&S Café, a bigger-than-ever M&S Footwear offer, and a transformed M&S Beauty department.
This new and improved M&S is now attracting shoppers from not only Bristol and the South West, but across the UK, keen to sample this unique store.
H&M also selected Cribbs to roll out a new regional flagship, incorporating new innovative tech features across the store to help enhance the shopping experience.
Meanwhile, Boots carried out a significant investment with a modernised beauty hall, which is now home to more than 30 new premium brands.
Alongside continued investment by premium brands, Cribbs has also welcomed several new names to the retail destination with Miniso, AllSaints, Animal, Levi’s, and Rodd & Gunn all signing leases in recent months.
Cribbs’ retailers have also benefited from a 26 per cent rise in domestic tourists over the past year as well as a 13 per cent growth in GenZ shoppers. Cribbs has been able to draw in these demographics thanks to its prime location adjacent to the M5, as well as its action-packed events calendar including the Fashion and Beauty Weekender, which allows brands to showcase their latest products whilst attracting visitors from across the South West, Wales, and West Midlands.
Katie Searle, director of asset management at Sovereign Centros from CBRE, said: “Cribbs has become a hub for brands to test new store concepts and product ranges to help them stay ahead of the competition.
“The Next at Cribbs Mall is among the retailer’s best stores in the country so we are not surprised that they are bringing Bath and Body Works to Cribbs whilst committing to a major upgrade of their space to create new flagship concepts for the South West.
“These premium stores at Cribbs will act as showrooms, with shoppers of all ages from across the West Country, West Midlands, South West and South Wales travelling to explore the latest styles and trends.”
Sovereign Centros from CBRE provide full asset management services across Cribbs on behalf of M&G Real Estate, while Time Retail Partners and Cushman & Wakefield are retained letting agents for the centre, with Green & Partners retained in the leasing advisory role.
