Centre:mk invests 10 million pounds in premium quarter

Hermes Investment Management is to invest 10 million pounds in Centre:mk Milton Keynes for a refurbishment programme to create a new premium quarter in the shopping centre.

Located on the Centre:mk’s Sunset Walk, the premium quarter will feature a contemporary environment with new white Emperador marble flooring and ceilings, as well as bespoke hexagon pendant lighting and large glazed entrances to north and south of Sunset Walk.

In addition, the shopping centre has commissioned a bespoke mesh kite sculpture, created by Locker Group, a Warrington-based company specialising in architectural mesh design, which will serve as a visual identifier for Sunset Walk and the premium quarter.

With planning consent already granted the work has already started, with the refurbishment expected to be completed by late October.

The idea of the refurbishment is to create an area to highlight the shopping centre’s premium brands, including Jigsaw and Hobbs, which have already chosen Sunset Walk for their regional flagships in the last 18-months. Other retailers on Sunset Walk include House of Fraser, Phase Eight, Kurt Geiger, Joules, and The White Company.

Hermes Investment Management investing 10 million pounds in Centre:mk

Hermes Investment Management, asset manager Ed Sellick, said: “These works are only one part of a five-year investment programme for Centre:mk and demonstrate our ambitious vision and commitment to maintaining the centre’s status as the region’s leading retail destination.

“Sunset Walk already has a strong reputation amongst some of the UK’s most highly regarded premium brands, and our plans are set to further increase its appeal. It will be a unique destination in a destination, benefitting from the strength of Centre:mk’s footfall and regional appeal, but with a distinctive contemporary environment that complements the line-up of aspirational brands.”

The investment also reflects a strong performance at Centre:mk with first quarter sales up 2 percent compared to the same time last year.

Centre:mk has more than 240 stores, restaurants and cafes, and is anchored by John Lewis, Marks and Spencer, House of Fraser, and Next. The shopping centre has a catchment population of over 2.8 million people and has more than 27 million visitors a year.

Images: Centre:mk Milton Keynes