Top stores in talks to Walk it in city centre

Published on Monday 25 October 2004 12:18

A STRING of exclusive retailers are in talks with developers to open new stores at the prestigious Walk development.

Negotiations are under way with French fashion label Dior, London shirt makers TM Lewin and the Swiss watchmakers Swatch to fill the remaining empty shop units at the development by next summer.

Management chiefs at the purpose-built pedestrian street Multrees Walk say they want all the remaining ten units filled by next summer. Tommy Hilfiger, Diesel and the children’s shop Daisy and Tom are also understood to be in serious discussions about taking up stores on the street, next to Harvey Nichols.

The news continues a recent turn around in fortunes for the street, which was virtually empty for its first 18 months.

Last Monday saw the opening of VinCaffe, the latest venture by family-owned Italian food and drinks company Valvona and Crolla.

Owner Philip Contini is considering turning the cafe/restaurant into a chain but will first wait to assess the performance of the Multrees Walk branch. British fashion house Daks Simpson, designer label Reiss, the Pen Shop and French designer Anne Fontaine will all open stores on the Walk before Christmas.

More than 60 per cent of the 80,000 square feet of shopping space at the development has now been leased.

Steve Spray, national director for La Sale Investment Management, which runs Multrees Walk, said talks are under way to fill the remainder of the units by next summer. The turning point for the Walk came last November when Emporio Armani signed up to open a store.