The Mall at Cribbs Causeway reveals new tenants as shopping centre sees strong footfall return

Two new retail tenants are taking space at The Mall at Cribbs Causeway in Bristol – indicating continued occupier confidence in the South West regional scheme which has seen strong sales and footfall since the reopening of retail post lockdown.

ProCook, one of the UK’s leading specialist kitchen and dining ware brands, has selected The Mall for its latest retail space, becoming its seventh new store to open this year. Having experienced exponential growth over the past eighteen months with the working public turning attention to their homes and cookware through the lockdown periods, its new 2,772 sq ft store can be found in the former Clintons unit.

The second arrival is Ribble Cycles, the British bicycle brand based in Lancashire which is amongst the longest established bicycle manufacturers in the world. The Mall is the choice for its fifth showroom, alongside Bluewater, Nottingham, Birmingham and its Lancashire flagship, making this its first presence in the South West. Ribble Cycles has taken the 1,500 sq ft store steps from the entrance to John Lewis on the lower level, offering a brand immersive experience with hopes of strong sales in the lead up to Christmas.

Scott Linard, Portfolio Director at M&G Real Estate, said: “Shoppers have been back to The Mall in their millions since reopening as the joy of seeing and feeling garments off screen and the pleasure of a day out with friends and loved ones rekindles the nation’s hunger for real life retail. Conversations with our occupier partners underline that key trading hubs in targeted regional locations provide an unmatched showcase for their brand offer.

“Welcoming Ribble Cycles to its first South West showroom and ProCook to one of a first tranche of shopping centre stores will only add to the centre’s appeal as we approach what will be the most significant trading period in memory leading up to Christmas 2021.”

David Stacey, Commercial Director, Ribble Cycles, said “Opening our showroom doors in Bristol’s ever-popular The Mall at Cribbs Causeway is such an exciting statement for the brand and testament to the success of our retail strategy and portfolio roll-out plan. The Mall is a destinational shopping centre with easy access and great transport links, high consumer footfall and resident premium global brands that share our values. Furthermore, Bristol and the South West have such a strong cycling legacy and heritage that aligns perfectly with our brand vision and strong existing regional consumer base - all prime considerations for when opening a state of the art Ribble Showroom and showcasing Ribble Cycles to the South West and beyond.”

Andy Kerr, Retail Director at ProCook added: “We strongly believe in the continued benefit of in-store physical retail as part of our multi-channel offer and Cribbs Causeway is the perfect proposition as we continue our expansion into destination shopping centres this year. We are delighted to be bringing ProCook to The Mall and are looking forward to welcoming customers.”

The Mall at Cribbs Causeway is home to 153 shops and restaurants. Employing over 6,000 people from within a 20-mile radius, The Mall also serves both local and national businesses by providing a major regional hub for UK and international retailers.

Earlier this month we reported that ProCook is reportedly looking to list on the London Stock Exchange.

In June it has revealed that it plans to open six large format stores in strong retail destination centres in the coming months, including key stores at Bluewater in Kent and Cribbs Causeway in Bristol, and has opened a hub in the Netherlands to service European markets. The 20,000sq ft warehouse with offices which is situated near Roermond marks the first phase of ProCook’s international expansion and will be followed by the opening of several European ProCook stores in the months ahead.

The brand has attributed its huge success in 2020 to having agile systems in place which enabled a fast response to the challenges of the pandemic, supporting consumer demand for kitchenware, and achieving significant growth in its newly expanded tableware category.