Watford’s restaurant scene is on the rise as Las Iguanas, Byron and Cabana all commit to become part of intu Watford’s £100 million Charter Place redevelopment scheme. Latin American-inspired Las Iguanas has agreed a 3,500 sq ft unit, Byron a 3,700 sq ft unit, and Cabana a 3,020 sq ft unit.
Rebecca Ryman, regional director of intu, said: “We’re revitalising the shopping experience at intu Watford and the new development encapsulates intu’s ambition to create experience based shopping centres that embrace the changing needs of today’s customer. It’s really positive to see such key restaurant names coming on board and recognising the strength of the intu brand.”
intu Watford is home to a number of top retailers including John Lewis, Topshop, Zara Lakeland and most recently Thomas Sabo, and the addition of new catering names and leisure facilities will create a balanced and compelling mix of retail, leisure and dining.
“Watford is an affluent commuter town and its prime position attracts customers from all surrounding towns. We’ll be bringing a unique and fun Latin American experience with fresh food and great cocktails to Hertfordshire, we’re sure that this will be extremely successful as part of the exciting redevelopment at intu Watford,” said Nick Clarke, Head of Property at Las Iguanas.
Watford will be the third intu centre to secure the popular hamburger brand Byron, which has also recently opened at intu Derby. Marc Balding, Byron’s Property Director, commented: “Shopping is hungry business, so intu shopping centres are a great environment for our business to thrive. Working with a national brand like intu has the benefit of scale and allows us to branch out into popular locations across the UK.”
intu branded centres attract over half the UK population every year. From events with a difference and world class service to their digitally connected infrastructure, intu centres offer businesses the opportunity to grow and prosper.
Jamie Barber, co-founder of Cabana, added: “intu Watford is already a popular shopping destination and the new extension will really strengthen its appeal making it the perfect location for our Brasilian barbeque themed restaurant.”
The major extension plans are part of intu’s £1.3 billion UK development pipeline. The scheme will see the redeveloped Charter Place Shopping Centre integrated with the existing refurbished intu Watford shopping centre, to establish new public realms for entertainment and events, large modern retail units, a restaurant hub and cinema. Cineworld has already signed on a nine screen cinema, including an IMAX screen. Plans to refurbish the existing centre will complete the transformation of intu Watford into a single, vibrant 1.4million sq ft destination.
