Intu is marking the first step in the transformation of its 1.4 million sq ft Lakeside shopping centre with a £9 million redevelopment of the centre’s food court into a vibrant new dining zone.
Intu Lakeside, which attracts a 25 million annual footfall, has received outline planning consent for a 325,000 sq ft retail extension that will house 40 new stores, and is also investing in a new leisure quarter.
Remodelled food hall
As the first stage in the transformation of the centre, the remodelled food hall will see the introduction of new operators who will significantly develop the catering offer as well as rightsized units for existing tenants, providing customers with a dramatically enhanced dining environment.
Units in the new space range from 400 sq ft to 3000 sq ft – some with their own seating and smaller units sharing the communal seating area. Intu is expecting to sign 13 new leases for the space and the letting process is well underway with the first names due to be announced shortly.
The food hall will deliver both fast food and casual dining brands, complementing the existing extended dwell time dining offer situated along the Boardwalk, an al fresco restaurant area alongside the lake which sits adjacent to the centre.
Changing customer perceptions of food courts
Jonathan Ainsley, asset management director said “When we launched the Boardwalk, we really challenged the traditional preconceptions of what a shopping centre dining experience should look like and it was a great success. Now we’re doing it again with our new food hall and the innovative redesign will completely change our customers’ perceptions about food courts. Creativity and attention has gone into every single physical element of the space.”
High quality…with quirky twists
The bold and creative design will feature new high quality finishes across all physical elements of the space, and quirky twists such as pod seating enclosures. The dining quarter makes clever use of technology such as intelligent light fittings which recognise the time of day or night and change to suit the mood and atmosphere.
Extending customer dwell time by two thirds
Jonathan continued: “We put our customers at the heart of everything that we do. The food hall refurbishment is the first step towards delivering for our customers a completely upgraded catering experience at intu Lakeside. It is evidence of the importance of having a vibrant and varied catering mix which our research shows extends customer dwell time by two thirds.”
Completion by April 2014
The existing food court provides traditional fast and casual food offers such as Burger King, KFC, Ed’s Easy Diner and Pizza Express, and is the foundation to the major works. The works are scheduled to begin in late August and are expected to complete by April next year.
Retail design specialists Rawls and Co are the architects working on the redesign.
Flagship champagne and cocktail bar
The project follows the announcement earlier this year that the centre has signed 360 Champagne & Cocktails to open a flagship champagne and cocktail bar in the heart of the shopping centre. The bar will be their largest yet, offering 120 seats over a 1,862 sq ft space. Intu is undertaking substantial works to create a customised unit, wrapping around the existing feature centrecourt, and providing a prominent vantage point over the shopping centre where people can ‘see and be seen’.