Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) – the trustee of the UK’s largest private pension scheme by way of assets – has signed two new high-profile tenants to the Grand Arcade in Cambridge.
British sports-fashion retail company JD Sports will be taking 14,200 sq ft on the ground floor and basement. Meanwhile, national jewellery and watch retailer Beaverbrooks will take 2,500 sq ft on the prime mall, with an adjoining luxury boutique with world-renowned Swiss watch brand TAG Heuer.
The news follows Charles Tyrwhitt relocating within the Grand Arcade as the multi-channel men’s clothing retailer has moved into a larger 1,250 unit on the ground floor, as the brand reaffirms its commitment to staying in the Cambridge area following a very successful year of trading.
The new arrivals will be moving into the prime mall area and will be adjacent to the likes of John Lewis, Apple, Mango and Skechers as the centre gears up for a busy summer with activations planned involving an independent exhibition made up of 500,000 LEGO bricks, and pop ups with Lola’s Cupcakes, as well as with the Cambridge Centre for Computing History, a local charity organisation and the Cambridge Science Centre, who will help with community outreach and providing educational engagement.
Martin Macwhinnie, Centre Manager for the Grand Arcade commented: “Our mission is to continue developing a prime retail mix, which meets the lifestyle choices of our customers and to continue styling Cambridge, so we’re delighted to be seeing a lot of renewed interest from prime retail brands in taking space at the Grand Arcade. These latest lettings of JD Sports, Beaverbrooks & TAG Heuer demonstrate our continued ability to attract the best national and international brands that our customers expect to find here.”
Anna Blackburn, managing director at Beaverbrooks, said: “We’re thrilled to be expanding our Beaverbrooks portfolio to include Cambridge, alongside our long-running and valued partner TAG Heuer with the opening of an adjoining boutique. The Grand Arcade is the perfect location to open our doors and reach new customers, and we look forward to providing outstanding levels of personal customer service, expertise and passion for diamonds, luxury watches and fine jewellery – for our customers, both in Cambridge and further afield.”
James Air, Head of Group Acquisitions at JD Sports commented: “It has been a pleasure to secure a major new store in Cambridge with USS, which is more than double the size of our current store. We will be able to stock a significantly wider range of brands and very much look forward to opening for this Christmas.”
