Harris Lamb Blog – 16th May
16th May, 2011.
Food Stores Continue to Acquire New Sites – The Property Opportunities
By Andy Lamb, Director.
For those drivers who still regularly sit stationary on the M6 between junction 8 and 10 bemoaning the state of the traffic and whether the Toll Road has done the job it promised, the tangible benefits are probably in property as much as traffic counts. The commercial new build and viability of new schemes along the entire length of the Toll Road has been transformed since the road was built.
We have been doing a fair number of conditional food retail deals over the last two years, possibly more than we have ever done before.
Across the national operators of food supermarkets they are all acquisitive as they continue to grow their businesses largely at the expense, or so it would appear, of the smaller independent retailers.
When you look at the sales figures being reported it is little wonder their appetite for growth is so good.
Sainsbury’s reported like for like sales up to 4.2% for the 1st quarter 2011. It also announced it had exceeded its target for opening and extending stores year. Sainsbury’s is looking again at opening dedicated warehouses for online orders.
The Co-operative Group has posted operating profits in its food division up 33% to £382.6m. It plans to open more branches by 2013. All the remaining Somerfield stores are due to be rebranded by early summer in 2011.
The Co-operative Group is rumoured to be taking a 500,000 sq ft distribution centre in South Normanton to support its recent acquisitions.
Haldranes will convert the 20 former Netto stores acquired from Asda by the end of May 2011.
Tesco reported profits rose by 12% from £3.8bn for three years to February 2011. Tesco is looking to realise property profit in the range of £250m – £350m per year by continuing to focus on sales and leasebacks of UK stores.
Waitrose announced that sales grew in 2010 by 9.8% to £4.97bn. It is looking to open a new regional distribution centre in Chorley in 2012 as part of its plans to double its estate in the North and is to open 100,000 sq ft site in Acton for online orders.
The merger between AF Blakemore and Capper & Co will create the largest Spar franchise in the UK within 1,096 stores and a combined turnover of £1.1bn.
Morrisons have obtained permission for a 375,000 sq ft depot in Bridgwater, adding to the 890,000 sq ft. it is due to open at the end of 2011.
Morrisons plans to open its first M convenience store in Ilkely in July 2011. Others in Manchester and Merseyside are due to follow.
Marks and Spencer are planning to add around 2% to its portfolio in the UK by opening new stores.
If you have a site or property in a good town centre or edge of town location then talk to us as we can quickly establish with our Planning and Agency teams the potential for any site to be suitable for retail use.
We are working on a cross section of new food store applications and agreeing deals across England. We are also well established in the logistic and warehouse requirements for these operators and their 3PL partners.
For advice and assistance on all aspects of development, Andy would be happy to help. He can be reached on 0121 455 9455 or via email: andrew.lamb@harrislamb.com.
Disclaimer: The views expressed within this article or weblog (‘blog’) are the personal views of the contributors and authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of any named companies or thier employees.