RETAIL SIGNINGS CONFIRMED

Modus has confirmed the signings of River Island, Boots, Pizza Express and Nandos to its Friars Walk development. These operators will join Debenhams, Marks and Spencers and New Look to guarantee a fantastic line up for the scheme. Friars Walk will provide Newport with the retail and leisure facilities that the city deserves and complement the major city wide regeneration programme. The £200m development will provide £450,000 sq ft of new retail space, a multiplex cinema, a new restaurant quarter, a city hotel, 250 new style apartments and a new bus station. In addition to the well known retailers the development will also boast a vibrant mix of independent and local retailers especially in the new Upper Dock Street area.

Nigel Poad, leasing director for Modus, said: “Getting the likes of River Island to commit to Friars Walk reaffirms that it will become a prime fashion location in the city of Newport. Similarly getting a vote of confidence from a retailer like Boots is a real boost. These deals demonstrate that despite the doom and gloom in the media, retailers are still willing to commit to quality schemes. Securing Pizza Express and Nandos as the first operators to commit to the restaurant quarter also sets the tone we are seeking to achieve. There currently is no family dining offer in the city and we are determined to address this.” Construction is due to start on site on spring and the anticipated completion date is 2010.