Cain International, the privately held investment firm, has let 3,000sq ft in its Islington Square development to leisure brand New Meta in a deal that strengthens the mixed-use destination’s all-day shopping, dining and playing appeal.
New Meta aims to be the go-to place for PC gamers and e-sports fans to game on high-end equipment while enjoying a wide variety of food and drinks. The gaming arena will host regular tournaments and competitions which will be open to everyone, as well as broadcast e-sports competitions and organise regular watch parties for big events in the e-sports world. It also plans to open an e-sports academy, for children of school age, with live coaches, a broad curriculum and regular competitions. New Meta will launch at Islington Square in August
The gaming arena, which will be New Meta’s first physical space, is the latest leisure concept to open in Cain’s mixed-use Islington Square, where it will join a Third Space health club and an Odeon cinema. A neighbourhood retailing destination as well as a dining hotspot, Islington Square is home to Anthropologie, Borough Kitchen, Arlo & Jacob, APC and Duck & Dry, and restaurants including Sproot, Megan’s, Jiji, Prezzo and Omnom.
Neil Barber, retail leasing director at Cain International, said: “That New Meta has chosen Islington Square for its physical debut is a testament to the vibrant line-up of brands we have curated. With Islington Square’s sharp focus on providing enjoyable and special experiences each time our guests visit us, New Meta will complement our offer well as we continue to grow our collection of some of the most interesting names operating in retail, F&B and leisure.”