Coventry city centre’s food and leisure offer is showing strong signs of a potential revival – according to a regional commercial property expert.
Jonathan Moore, a director of city-based Shortland Penn + Moore, has welcomed the additional investment being pumped into Skydome and believes it will complement other activity in the city ahead of next year’s Olympics.
As well as the significant amounts being invested to transform Skydome, major changes are taking place at Priory Place too where two units have been split to attract alternative operators.
That has already resulted in a string of enquiries from small, independent food and drink outlets to the letting agents Shortland Penn + Moore (SPM), which is marketing Priory Place on behalf of CDP.
Leisure operators are also approaching SPM regarding available space at Belgrade Plaza.
Moore said: “There has been some letting activity in the city and that is very good news. The Skydome investment by the Mansford Group is very welcome and developments at Priory Place and Belgrade Plaza are also exciting.
“It’s been a really tough few years in this market but the signs are there that activity is returning and that can only be good news for Coventry city centre and the people of Coventry.
“The changes at Priory Place have already seen enquiry levels rise. The plan is to create a place where everyone will want to go to eat out because there will be something to suit all tastes.
“It hasn’t required significant investment – just a slight change in philosophy.
“On top of that, Belgrade Plaza is attracting good interest because there is still leisure space available there and enquiry levels are definitely up.
“And there is Friargate on the not-too-distant horizon. It is a key strategic development which will include leisure and retail and will totally transform the area around Coventry station creating a fitting gateway to the city.”
Moore added: “With the Olympics around the corner, the more new operators we can attract into the city centre the better – be they small, local independents or national companies.
“The market is still tough but it is positive to see new activity in the city centre and we look forward to seeing the tangible results of that.”