More new retailers join Northumberland's market town development!

More new retailers join Northumberland's market town development!

15 October 2008

 Further high street names are taking advantage of the comparative strength in the market town sector by signing up for the  £32 million Sanderson Arcade development in Morpeth.

Three retailers have announced this week that they will take units in the development currently under construction in the picturesque north east market town. They are:

·         Clarks who are taking a 2,090 sq ft unit with a 10 year lease

·         Lakeland who have signed for a 15 year lease on a 1,915 sq ft unit

·         Waterstones who will be taking a 3,050 unit on a 10 year lease

They’ll join other retailers including M&S, New Look, Body Shop, Vision Express, Crew Clothing and Laura Ashley.

Despite delivering the ambitious new development during difficult financial times the market town format is proving popular with tenants. Sanderson Arcade is already 78 per cent pre-let.

The development is being brought forward by Morpeth 11 – the development partnership of Yorkshire based Dransfield Properties Ltd and Ethel Austin Properties Ltd.

Mark Dransfield, managing director of Dransfield Properties Ltd, said: “There is no doubt that people’s shopping habits are changing, the cost of fuel and a desire to shop locally is resulting in a strengthening of the market town format.

“We have worked in district centres and market towns for several years now and have recognised the potential in town’s like Morpeth to deliver good high quality retailers. Sanderson Arcade will take Morpeth to the next level as a shopping destination and help to revive the town centre.”

As well as high quality national names the company is working with a number of local businesses keen to be part of the line up.

The development is in the heart of Morpeth town centre,  in recent years the Sanderson Arcade and Back Riggs area had become run down and badly in need of investment.

The new stores will be housed in 85,000 sq ft of purpose built retail space in the elegantly designed arcade. A  piazza area is also being created and the neighbouring superstore is being extended as part of the town centre improvements.

 A new town centre bus interchange and 25,000 sq ft of office space will also be created. 25 per cent of the office space has already been let before work has started on this phase of the scheme.

Contractors Mansell started work on the development in July this year and a phased opening will see the first shops trading in Spring next year.

Castle Morpeth Borough Council Chief Executive Ken Dunbar said: "Morpeth has recovered well from the catastrophic floods that hit the town in September and it gives both traders and local residents a lot of confidence for the future to see the development progressing so well.  

 “As we gear up our efforts to regenerate Morpeth in the wake of the floods,  I'm confident  the Sanderson Arcade development will be an important part of what moves us on to the next level in terms of positioning us as the favoured shopping and tourism destination in in the region." 

For further information, contact:

Public Relations Department, Dransfield Properties Ltd
Tel: 01226 360644
Email: pr@dransfield.co.uk