Burton’s Coopers Square expansion announced but Debenhams is not on board

Posted on 25 July, 2014 by Kirsten Kennedy

Coopers Square shopping centre in Burton-on-Trent is to benefit from an expansion which will create four additional retail units. The extension will see a new block erected on the centre’s existing car park, just off the town’s busy Station Street.

Burtons-Coopers-Square-expansion-announced-but-Debenhams-is-not-on-board

Bosses at the centre have confirmed that a number of retailers have already approached them with a view to taking up space within the extension – a welcome indication of a returning air of confidence in the retail industry, which was for so long plagued by growing vacancy rates and falling profits for many businesses.

Unfortunately, it appears that department store Debenhams will not be one of the retailers battling for space at the extended centre, as it pulled out of a deal at the end of last year.

According to local media, the collapse of the deal was due to Coopers Square owners F&C REIT refusing to meet demands for the centre to be extended; a somewhat ironic situation given the newly proposed plans submitted to the local authority.

Yet centre manager Dave Chadfield insists that the new extension plan was not a result of Debenhams’ request but rather a means of increasing the retail offering for consumers. He also points out that this new extension will be on a much smaller scale than that proposed by Debenhams, meaning that work should hopefully be completed in time for the new year.

He says; “This is something the owners say is required – there is a need to create space which is in demand.

“It’s looking to the future, there is a turnaround in retail at the moment: it’s very positive and we want to put something there for them.

“We showed some potential tenants around last week and they are very keen, they like the idea.”

Mr Chadfield confirmed that talks have not resumed with Debenhams following the decision to extend the centre, saying that the company was not “currently on its radar”. However, Debenhams bosses claim that they will continue to look for opportunities to establish a presence in the Burton area.




Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.


Recent Posts

Interest Rates Impact on Commercial Property

Commercial Property Investment Outlook for 2023

The best places to stay on the Riviera

The latest property data has identified Newquay as the fastest property seller’s market in the UK

Investing in your garden can increase your property’s value

French Riviera temping high-end homebuyers

How can the ownership rights of my commercial property impact a business sale?

Should I incorporate virtual property viewings permanently?

Investment expected to increase across Asia-Pacific in 2021

UK property industry slows as the conclusion of tax break looms

BNP Paribas cautioned investors on Friday as debt-trading bonanza that increased its earnings this past year

Over 300,000 property purchases fell through in 2020 – we show the most frequent motives and the best way to get your house sale back on track

House Prices in the Capital Surpass £500,000

Optimism from the Bank of England’s chief economist

The most expensive commercial properties.

Businesses operating from shared premises will miss out on grants