Woking Borough Council and Moyallen Group have welcomed the opening of Victoria Place Woking, the £700 million regeneration scheme in Woking town centre anchored by Marks & Spencer (M&S). The leading British retailer has opened alongside a number of retail and F&B brands, and the first BTR apartments.
M&S’s new Victoria Place store is a regional flagship occupying 50,000 sq ft over two floors. M&S Woking includes the brand’s trademark range of clothing, homeware and gifts, first-rate quality food, a bespoke bakery and café offering Fairtrade coffee.
Joining M&S are formalwear specialist, Moss Bros, athletic footwear and apparel retailer Skechers, artisan bakery GAIL’s, East Asian-inspired fast-food chain, itsu, and high-end cocktail bar, Komo.
Completing the launch of Victoria Place is The Marches, the BTR residential element of Victoria Place operated by Native Group. The Marches comprise 429 residential apartments in two towers of 30 and 34 storeys.
A spokesperson for Marks & Spencer, commented: “We are very pleased to have launched our regional flagship store in Woking, and are proud to have done so within a destination that aligns seamlessly with our community-focused ethos. Victoria Place’s positioning right in the heart of Woking creates the perfect location for customers to shop and peruse our store, food hall and café with ease. We look forward to this next chapter for M&S and are feeling optimistic on a bright future at this key regional location.”
Subsequent stages of Victoria Place will open over the course of 2022. The Gym Group will open in April, further diversifying Victoria Place. Italia Conti Dance Conservatoire will launch in July in a 47,000 sq ft musical theatre, acting and dance facility offering part-time and summer courses for both juniors and adults. Also making its debut in the summer is Woking Superbowl, a new 16-lane bowling experience in a 26,500 sq ft space that will also include a licensed F&B offer.
The series of launches will culminate in November with the 22-storey, 189-bed four-star Hilton Hotel. Currently fitting out, Hilton Woking will contain three independent dining concepts totalling almost 9,500 sq ft, including a contemporary sky bar on the 22nd storey. Called LOFT, it will provide views of central London, the Wembley Arch and across Surrey to the south. Hilton Woking will also house a 5,900 sq ft ball room, the largest in Surrey, and an additional 7,600 sq ft of function areas and corporate meeting space.
Councillor Ayesha Azad, Leader of Woking Borough Council, said: “The launch of M&S, which is such a popular British retailer, alongside other leading brands and the new apartments at Victoria Place is a significant vote of confidence in Woking. The town is a key opportunity location for companies and investors, as well as a very desirable place to live, work and visit for residents and visitors alike. We are extremely pleased to welcome all the new additions to Victoria Place, and look forward to the rest of the openings over the coming months.”
Complementing the retail, F&B, residential and hotel is space for a medical centre and 85,000 sq ft of offices. Victoria Place has also created two new public plazas and delivered 284 new parking spaces in the town centre.
JLL and Nash Bond acted for Victoria Place. MMX Retail represented M&S.
