Rushden Lakes opens 172,000 square foot extension

The Crown Estate has opened two new retail and leisure phases of its Rushden Lakes development in Northamptonshire.

The 172,000 square foot extension adds 10 new retail brands, including Barbour, as well as 14 cafes and restaurants, and five leisure and entertainment brands to the destination.

The Garden Square is a new 17,500 square foot boutique retail extension, providing boutique retail units for brands including Beaverbrooks, Sketchers and Barbour, around an attractive public square.

While the 154,000 square foot leisure and dining West Terrace, has opened a 14-screen Cineworld, alongside leisure brands, including Rock Up, Paradise Golf and 360 Play, and restaurants Nando’s, Five Guys, Zizzi and local brand Heavenly Deserts.

Hayley Turley, senior asset manager at The Crown Estate, said in a statement: “We are extremely proud to be opening the West Terrace and Garden Square extensions. Our long-term ambition for Rushden Lakes was always to deliver a truly mixed-use destination which has a diverse, appealing occupier mix meeting the needs of the local community, and ensuring its long-term success."

Rushden Lakes, which is set within 200 acres of protected Nene Wetlands reserve, opened to the public in 2017 to offer a new retail experience that showcased retail, leisure and dining in a picturesque setting that offers nature trails around the reserve.

The retail destination recently posted a 7.1 percent increase in like-for-like sales growth in the year to May 2019 and has welcomed over 10 million visitors since opening.