12 Sep Metro Bank and Lidl to open in Kings Mall
Hammersmith town centre goes from strength to strength as multi-award-winning Metro Bank and Lidl have announced plans to open in Kings Mall shopping centre.
Kings Mall’s on-going commitment to bringing excellent value for customers, businesses and residents in Hammersmith has been shown once again through this announcement. Lidl, the supermarket, plans to open in 2020 as part of extensive investment to upgrade the look and feel of the centre into modern, fit-for-purpose convenience retailing.
Metro Bank is currently fitting out a newly configured 4,000 sq ft store in Kings Mall, after looking for the right location in the town centre for some time, and is pleased to announce that the new branch will be opening on King Street later this year. The bank offers seven days banking, which is fantastic news for the town centre businesses and the added benefit of super-quick account opening.
The news follows increased investment in Kings Mall by gift store Flying Tiger, and Footlocker announcing it has increased its lease by five years and is installing a double-height shopfront. The shopping centre’s #startupmall initiative saw the CBeebies show ‘Messy Goes to OKIDO’ bring its successful pop-up shop and art and science workshop zone to the mall over the summer holidays.
SREF, Schroders’ £2.5 billion real estate fund, acquired the 340,000 sq ft Kings Mall Shopping Centre in 2015 for £153 million as part of a portfolio of assets in Hammersmith. Rob Cosslett, Investment Manager for SREF said: “The lettings with Lidl and Metro Bank – and the commitment by existing tenants – enhance the centre’s retail credentials, and are testament to the brands’ confidence in Kings Mall, and the investment and management approach which is shaping it to better meet their needs and those of the community they serve.”
Olu Johnson, Lidl GB’s Regional Head of Property, said: “We are delighted to be opening a new store in Hammersmith, which marks another milestone in our ambitious store expansion programme. We’ve seen incredible demand for Lidl stores across the country and look forward to offering our quality products and incredible value to shoppers in and around Hammersmith.”
Speaking about the Metro Bank store opening, Adam Durrant, the local director for Hammersmith at the branch said: “We’re really excited about opening in Hammersmith. There is a real buzz about the town centre, which we think we’re going to complement.
“We’ve been looking to open in the town centre for a number of years, so we’re delighted we’ve finally found an appropriate location.”
Patricia Bench Hammersmith BID Director said: “We at Hammersmith BID are pleased to welcome Metro Bank and Lidl. Kings Mall’s improvement programme is a boost for our town centre, adding a lot of value for the local businesses and town centre shoppers. There is something here for everyone.”