Under this new ownership, the scheme has renewed its lease with anchor tenant Sainsbury’s and welcomed new tenant, Hays Travel with further deals expected to complete throughout 2023.

Comprising 63,000 sq. ft. of retail accommodation in the centre of Armagh city, The Mall will benefit from significant investment from Turkington Group which intends to transform the scheme into a vibrant and modern shopping hub.

Gary Turkington from Turkington Group said: “We see huge potential to breathe new life not only into The Mall, but into the heart of Armagh through the creation of an unparalleled shopping experience in the city.

“With our commitment to substantial investment and innovative enhancements, we look forward to unveiling an exciting array of retail opportunities that will redefine the future of The Mall.”

RENEWED INTEREST

CBRE Northern Ireland acted as the advisors on behalf of Turkington Group throughout the transaction.

Stephen Smith, Associate Director of Retail at CBRE NI, said: “The Mall has long been established as the dominant retail scheme within Armagh and, since being acquired by Turkington Group, is attracting renewed interest from both local and national retailers and food and beverage outlets.

“The renewal of Sainsbury’s lease as the anchor tenant provides stability and appeal to both shoppers and potential lessee. With significant investment on the horizon, The Mall now presents a really exciting lucrative opportunity for potential tenants.”

For more information or to discuss the opportunities available at The Mall please contact Stephen Smith at CBRENI.com

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Situated on McKinstry/Creightons Road in Derriaghy, the site is adjacent to the recently opened McDonalds drive-thru, which is attracting considerable footfall.

The prominent site is adjacent to a major arterial road, easily accessible to the M1 and M2, and also lies adjacent to the established commercial area at The Cutts.

The commercial development opportunity is a level cleared site, with planning permission granted for a petrol filling station comprising a retail unit, canopy, totem sign, forecourt, parking and associated site works.

CBRE, which is handling the sale, said the remainder of the site is suitable for drive-thru restaurants, retail or leisure uses, subject to planning approval.

They added that preliminary architectural exercises have revealed that in addition to the ‘approved’ PFS, there is scope to create drive-thru/retail units in a number of configurations at the site, all subject to planning approval.

Situated just three miles north of Lisburn city centre, the site is within easy reach of Derriaghy, Lambeg, Lisburn, Lagmore, Poleglass and Twinbrook.

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The retailer, which has opened 41 stores in the north since 1999, is altering its location strategy, which will eventually see it open in towns with smaller populations.

Lidl’s location expansion will be run alongside its ongoing store replacement programme, which has already seen 18 of its northern stores modernised. The 19th replacement store is set to open in Omagh on October 13.

Lidl has previously announced its medium-term target of achieving 50 stores in Northern Ireland by 2030, but property director Chris Speers told the Irish News the company’s longer term strategy is now for 66 locations.

Ideally, he said the retailer would like to complete six projects each year, including two brand new location stores.

However, that will very much depend on the planning process and availability of suitable sites.

Lidl has already tasked property firms CBRE and Lambert Smith Hampton with helping it locate new sites as part of the goal of opening in 25 new locations.

“The aim is to bring our market leading prices and quality to more communities in Northern Ireland,” said Mr Speers.

“We generally work in catchments, both urban and rural hinterlands, of around 20,000 plus people. And there’s still many of those 25 stores within that category.

“But there’s also now a willingness to look at smaller catchments of around 15,000 plus, which brings in a lot of new towns we hadn’t considered in years gone by, as we were prioritising the bigger catchments.”

Since opening its first store in Cookstown in 1999, Lidl has established itself as the north’s fastest growing retailer, employing 1,100 people across 41 stores and a major distribution hub at Nutts Corner.

It’s understood Bangor and south Belfast are high on Lidl’s target areas. The retailer is expected to secure planning permission on a new Boucher Road outlet in the coming weeks.

It will be Lidl’s first in south Belfast, but it’s unlikely to be its last.

“South Belfast has been underrepresented by Lidl for a number of years,” said Mr Speers.

“There’s probably two or three further expansion opportunities in south Belfast.”

The broader location policy could also eventually see Lidl pop up in towns like Kilkeel and Ballycastle. It’s also examining a potential third store in Derry city.

As well as looking in smaller catchment areas, Lidl has also adapted its store strategy to take on units which don’t necessarily fit within its traditional format.

“The format of our stores, the locations and types of sites that we’ve looked at has evolved a fair bit,” said the property director.

“We’re being more agile, more flexible when it comes to the model of the building we use or the location.”

Chris Speers said the company had been spending between £12 million to £15m per year on store development around five years ago. It’s on course to triple that spend next year. That in turn will create more jobs in both construction, retail and the food supply chain.

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Commercial real estate agencies CBRE NI and Savills are acting as joint agents on the sale of the property.

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