Peacocks has opened a 650 sq m (7,000 sq ft) store in Allied London Properties' newly refurbished New Kirkgate Shopping Centre in Leith, Edinburgh.

The unit is located in the heart of the new-look centre opposite the 1,022 sq m (11,000 sq ft) Lidl store – which, just four months after opening, has already become the best trading Lidl in Scotland – and Poundstretcher, which was relocated into a larger store as part of the refurbishment. Other tenants in the scheme include Boots, Woolworths, Superdrug, Ethel Austin, and The Post Office.

Commenting on the deal, a Peacocks' spokesperson said:

"Allied London's refurbishment has dramatically improved the retail environment of New Kirkgate and reinstated it as a key focal point for local people. We are delighted to have the opportunity to be part of this first step in the revitalisation of Leith town centre and we look forward to emulating Lidl's fantastic trading success."

The new Leith Peacocks is one of 35 new stores that Peacocks plans to launch in the next 12 months.

The letting follows the October (2002) completion of Allied London's £4 million redevelopment of the 1950s-built centre, which was one of the first purpose-built shopping centres in Scotland.

Designed by architects Comprehensive Design Associates, the refurbishment included:

new elevations, canopies and landscaping;

additional retail space – increasing the total retail floor area by over 40% – from 5,946 sq m (64,000 sq ft) to over 9,290 sq m (100,000 sq ft);

improved access and profile via enhancements to the Leith Walk entrance;

improved layout and internal circulation routes;

a new glazed, barrel vaulted roof over the covered mall;

increased the on-site car parking facilities – up from 40 spaces to a total of 110;

public art, marking the centre's most prominent entrance with a landmark sculpture by Phil Johnson[1] at the foot of Leith Walk – a dramatic 18 m high, blue steel representation of a narwhal tusk celebrating Leith's seafaring heritage;

the refurbishment of Leith's well known bronze statue of Queen Victoria – an early 20th century memorial to Leithers serving with the Royal Scots who lost their lives in the Boer War;

improved visibility and accessibility for two 16th century historic structures on the site (Trinity House and a listed stone wall bordering South Leith Parish church yard);

revitalising and extending the on-site community centre facilities to provide new meeting rooms and creche facilities to complement its impressive indoor community sports hall – the largest in Edinburgh.

Markham Vaughan Gillingham has recently been appointed joint letting agents for New Kirkgate joining Montagu Evans and Cluttons. Together, they are marketing the two remaining units – of 148 sq m (1,600 sq ft) and 241.5 sq m (2,600 sq ft) respectively – in the main mall as well as a 117 sq m (1,266 sq ft) first floor café and 836 sq m (9,000 sq ft) of dramatic, column free studio/office/retail space.

Cluttons are also project managers and asset managers.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:
Linda Welch
Halogen
Tel: 020 7487 9191

3 April 2003

Corporate Statement
Allied London Properties is a major UK property company (owned by Deutsche Bank, JER Partners and management) with substantial investment and development projects in significant UK cities and towns, including; London, Manchester, Glasgow, Bracknell and Edinburgh.

Allied London's heartland is complex town and city centre mixed-use and retail redevelopment schemes, where it works with private and public sector organisations to deliver multi-faceted projects that combine creative vision with commercial rigour. A focused but innovative approach is applied to each location with the ultimate goal of creating value. In practical terms, this is achieved by repositioning a site through imaginative development and redevelopment, or through state-of-the-art refurbishment and change of use. All the company's schemes – as well as its own business philosophy – reflect the growing demands on cities to be dynamic, modern and sustainable environments.

The company currently has over 278,000 sq m (3 million sq ft) of real estate under ownership or management. Current development projects amount to in excess of a further 418,050 sq m (4.5 million sq ft), comprising office, retail, residential and leisure uses including London – 76,819 sq m (826,956 sq ft), Manchester – 278,000 sq m (3 million sq ft), Glasgow – 49,610 sq m (534,000 sq ft) and Bracknell – 139,354 sq m (1.5 million sq ft).

Phil Johnson is a celebrated sculptor whose recent work includes the stunning sculpted masthead at the new headquarters of the Scotsman newspaper, adjacent to the new Scottish parliament building.

		© Allied London 2004 \| Disclaimer	Designed & Produced by Bostock and Pollitt