Work around the former BHS store will be completed with a vibrant F&B quarter on the first floor, to be branded Food Social. It will be a space especially for the local community; a food and leisure destination dedicated to creating new experiences and shared memories.
PureGym has been granted planning permission to extend the second floor of the former BHS. The affordable, no contract gym membership brand will offer a high-quality service to local residents. The club will also provide a series of free classes to its members such as Cycling, Bootcamp and Circuits, and workshops will be available offering advice on nutrition and wellbeing.
H&M, currently located in Great Court at The Grafton, will be taking additional space on the ground floor of the former BHS store resulting in a 60% increase. The new store will be revealed to customers in two phases. The first phase recently saw menswear, womenswear and kidswear move into the ground floor of the former BHS. Following the refurbishment of the existing unit, the H&M Home concept department will open later this year and will offer a variety of bed, bath and kitchenware, and accessories.
John O’Shea, Centre Manager at The Grafton, said: “H&M’s decision to expand within the centre demonstrates its confidence in the scheme, encouraged by the delivery of an improved retail and leisure offer. We’re delighted to welcome PureGym, bringing a new fitness offer to the centre and will be announcing our new F&B occupiers in due course. We’re in positive discussions with several restauranteurs local to Cambridge with brands and concepts that have developed from Cambridgeshire roots. We would encourage any local food operators to get in touch to discuss opportunities within the centre as well.”
Owned by Legal & General Real Assets and asset managed by Wrenbridge, an increase in the investment into the refurbishment at The Grafton, by approximately £10 million, was recently announced, taking the total figure to £28 million. The additional money will, in part, go towards the introduction of a new food quarter on the first floor of the former BHS store. The food quarter will be a space where people come together to relax, embrace the social occasion of watching a film, sharing a table to celebrate and socialise with family and friends, creating memorable moments. It will complement the existing Bella Italia and the 8-screen Vue cinema, which, combined with Pure Gym will strengthen the centre’s leisure offer, making it a prime dining and leisure destination for locals and students.
Duncan Costin, Property Director at PureGym Group, said: “PureGym will offer something new to The Grafton. Our brand has a unique offering that will appeal to the active lifestyle environment within Cambridge. It’s a great time for us to join The Grafton, our new fitness offer will complement the existing leisure and the new Food Social F&B quarter, as part of the centre’s refresh.”
The ongoing works to The Grafton have recently delivered a brand-new Fitzroy Street entrance, a striking double-height glazed roof with feature lighting and double-height shop fronts to the some of the larger stores.
It was recently announced that Costa Coffee is relocating to Central Court; opening early next year. The popular coffee shop will almost double in size and will offer a new catering and seating area as part of Phase 2, which will create open spaces and feature an attractive new skylight and timber ceiling. The move follows the opening of Decathlon in the summer, the brand’s first store in Cambridgeshire, which has been trading very well, achieving sales figures 10% above ambitious targets.
The refurbishment of The Grafton is being project managed by Wrenbridge, a London and Cambridge-based developer, with projects across East Anglia and the South East of England.
The Grafton’s £28 million refurbishment programme includes major improvements to the shopping environment throughout, upgrading entrances, flooring and roofs, to create a bright and modern environment for visitors to enjoy. Legal & General also plan to enhance the centre’s retail line-up through the reconfiguration of retail space and creation of new stores.
Image: CGI of Great Court where the changes will take place.