Wykeland Group has immediately secured a new occupier for a vacant retail unit in Hull city centre, just days after acquiring the building.
The Hull-based commercial developer has let the 35,000 sq ft former New Look unit in Whitefriargate to growing operator Durham Bed Centre.
It will be the latest opening outside its heartland in the North East where it has seven stores and is described as the region’s largest independent bed and furniture retailer, wholesaler and manufacturer.
Wykeland completed the purchase of the building, also featuring HMV, as well as the landmark former Marks &Spencer site, last week.
Property director David Donkin said: “The arrival of Durham Bed Centre will bring additional footfall to Whitefriargate as shops and other businesses re-open following the Covid-19 disruption.
“We’re very pleased to have brought this vacant unit back to life so quickly. This reflects the short-term strategy we envisaged when making these acquisitions, while we consider the longer-term re-purposing of the buildings as part of a broader picture of regeneration and reinvention for Whitefriargate and Hull city centre.”
Durham Bed Centre has recently expanded into Leeds, Warrington and Bootle, and will stock a wide range of beds, sofas and other furniture at the Whitefriargate store, which is due to open on Monday, June 15.
It will also ensure the 42,000 sq ft building that the unit forms part of will once again be fully
occupied, as music and entertainment retailer HMV is also due to re-open following its temporary closure because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Wykeland announced the acquisition of the building and also the neighbouring 60,000 sq ft former Marks and Spencer store in Whitefriargate last week.
