Two new leisure retailers are moving in to Crest Nicholson’s Harbourside development in Bristol, cementing its growing reputation as the sport and leisure hub of the city.
inPlay Golf, where people can perfect their golfing technique has just opened while fit out of The Triathlon Shop is imminent. Their arrival closely follows the opening of Pure Gym, which overlooks Millennium Square.
Total space occupied by the three new retailers totals 35,000 sq ft as leisure operators are benefitting from the mixed use 16-acre development which is part owned by Canada Life Investments, and has created as a place for people to live, work and play with its mix of apartments, workplaces and stylish restaurants.
Located on Cathedral Walk inPlay Golf will be Bristol’s first indoor golf simulation facility. Targeting the growing indoor golfing market the 3,300 sq ft unit will include six simulators which will allow customers to test themselves on the major courses from around the World.
Using revolutionary image-processing software the simulators combine high resolution digital images, satellite data and geophysical data into 3D models of golf courses that not only look real but are completely accurate everywhere on the course. Every tree, bunker and hazard is faithfully reproduced exactly as golfers would see it if they were playing the actual course.
Paul Barrington of Bristol inPlay Golf described their new offering saying: “Accomplished golfers or complete beginners will enjoy a relaxed and informal environment to practice your game or swing a club for the very first time. PGA coaching staff will be on hand to offer lessons to groups and individuals together with providing an on-site custom club fitting and full repair service.
“It will enable golfers to test their ability on famous courses such as Pebble Beach, Carnoustie and The Belfry together with several Ryder Cup venues including Kiawah Island, Celtic Manor and Medinah, all without leaving Bristol.”
The Triathlon shop is the brainchild of local businessman and triathlete Jon Burrage and his wife Holly. It will be the only dedicated Triathlon shop in Bristol capitalising on the huge rise in popularity of the sport following the heroics of the Brownlee brothers at the 2012 Olympics.
Located on Millennium Walk the 9,000 sq ft shop will be dedicated to everything to do with swimming, cycling and running.
It will have specific areas for each sport, workshop facilities, a bio-mechanical and gait analysis studio, sports massage and injury rehab clinics, as well as an “endless” pool for customers to test wetsuits and swim coaching.
Jon said: “Our new store at Bristol Harbourside will make us the best bike, swim, run and triathlon shop in the UK. In addition it will allow us to show off thousands of products in a much more customer friendly environment. We will be developing our offering with regular runs and rides starting and finishing from the shop as well as hosting seminars and showing live sports from our in-store café area which will give us a real point of difference over the online retailers.”
Pure Gym, which opened in May 2013 offers 220 pieces of equipment and runs 75 classes a week.
Debbie Aplin, Managing Director of Crest Nicholson Regeneration said: “At a time when fitness and leisure is high on the agenda for many, I am delighted to see these new leisure retailers in the heart of Bristol, providing superb facilities on the doorstep for those who live at Harbourside and is a real asset for the whole city.
“Harbourside offers the combination of a high profile, accessible location with access to a huge audience interested in leisure and fitness. They will help provide more consumer choice as well as jobs for the people of Bristol and beyond as well as adding to the vibrancy of the area.
“The arrival of these new sports related units also follows the opening of two new restaurants and consolidates the area as the destination of choice for the people of Bristol to enjoy all that Harbourside has to offer.”
A popular destination for runners, rowers, walkers and sailing enthusiasts, Harbourside also features on the Bristol Half Marathon route as well as hosting the Bristol 10km running race and Bristol’s Biggest Bike Ride.
The mixed use site has transformed the area formerly known as Canon’s Marsh into an area that reflects the new needs of the city. The remaining space on site is now being actively marketed to potential occupiers as Harbourside reaches the final stages of development.
