The Lexicon, owned by a joint venture between Schroders Capital UK Real Estate Fund (SCREF) and Legal & General Capital, has secured new lettings to Giggling Squid, Søstrene Grene, Robert Dyas, Five Guys, ChopStix, German Doner Kebab, Tortilla and Mr Simms which have taken a combined 23,500sq ft of retail and F&B space at the Bracknell-based destination. This means the centre is now 94% let by floor area.
Leading the new arrivals was Thai eatery Giggling Squid which opened a 4,750sq ft outlet earlier this summer. The Lexicon has also welcomed growing Danish retail chain Søstrene Grene and home store Robert Dyas. Both are occupying units on Braccan Walk with Søstrene Grene taking 6,000sq ft of space and Robert Dyas occupying a 4,000sq ft unit.
Five Guys has also opened a 3,500sq ft outlet on Braccan Walk with this new outlet being the chain’s first restaurant within Berkshire. Meanwhile, ChopStix, which opened its first destination in Bracknell earlier this year, has now signed a 10-year lease for a 2,000sq ft unit at The Lexicon.
Continental F&B chain German Doner Kebab’s has also opened a new 2,000sq ft store on the high street next to Santander. Additionally, Tortilla, which already operates stores in Reading and Bracknell, has opened a new 700sq ft outlet.
Meanwhile, Mr Simms Sweet Shop, the UK’s largest chain of traditional sweet shops, will be opening its first outlet in Bracknell after signing a 10-year lease for a 500sq ft unit at The Lexicon. The new Mr Simms Store is located on the high street and takes occupancy at that part of The Lexicon to almost 100%. Established in 2004, Mr Simms has over 80 sweet shops open worldwide and offers a collection of traditional and contemporary sweets as well as Pick’n Mix.
Alongside the new arrivals, the leasing team managing the The Lexicon also completed several lease renewals and re-gears with popular occupiers including Fat Face, Mountain Warehouse, Flying Tiger, Timberland, Clintons, Costa, L’Occitane and New Look. The combination of these lease renewals and the run of new arrivals ensures The Lexicon continues to have a quality mix of tenants maintaining its position as one of the region’s leading retail, F&B and leisure destinations.
As well as the run of recent leasing activity, several initiatives for the local community have been hosted in The Lexicon. This includes the opening of the new Craft Coop store in Princess Square which showcases products produced by craftspeople from the surrounding area.
Elsewhere, The Lexicon hosted Bracknell Forest’s first ever Pride event which celebrated the diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community. The free family-friendly event – which was produced in collaboration with members of the borough’s LGBTQIA+ community – saw acts and performers take the stage throughout the day and included musicians, dancers and drag queens.
The Lexicon also launched a huge new bee hotel that local schools and participants in the half-term craft classes created for the town centre bee garden. The Lexicon’s Bee Aware Week saw the centre partner with nature club Little Muddy Boots to teach over 1,000 local children about the importance of bees and pollinators.
Meanwhile, The Lexicon welcomed the Princess of Wales who visited the Vsi Razom Community Hub in Princess Square which works with young Ukrainians to provide donations of essential items which are sent to those impacted by the conflict in the region.
The Lexicon also captured a prestigious international retail award, with The Bracknell Forest Giants activation earning gold at the 2023 International Council of Shopping Centre Awards. The activation was recognised within the Experiential Single Marketplace Category – for projects totalling $200,000 or more – with the award highlighting the Giants’ ability to reflect Bracknell’s exceptional green belt.
Tom Woolven, asset manager at Schroders Capital’s Real Estate team, commented: “These latest lettings and international awards demonstrate how The Lexicon’s innovative urban design has enabled the Schroders Capital team to attract leading retail and F&B brands despite a challenging retail market nationally. The new recent lettings, along with several exciting new arrivals due to be announced later this year, combined with the plans to further enhance the centre and a host of regular community events will ensure The Lexicon remains a thriving retail destination which continues to attract people from across the Thames Valley and beyond.”
Lunson Mitchenall and CBRE are The Lexicon’s retained letting agents.
