The Swedish electric car brand Polestar has opened its first midlands outlet at Touchwood Shopping Centre in Solihull.
Polestar’s arrival is part of the wider diversification of the offering at Touchwood by centre owner The Ardent Companies UK (“Ardent UK”), the acquisitive subsidiary of US-based real estate investment and asset management firm The Ardent Companies, alongside appointed asset manager Sovereign Centros.
The fully-electric automotive manufacturer has taken 5,100sq ft of space on a new ten-year lease, showcasing its cutting-edge technology and immersive in-store experience to Solihull’s affluent catchment. The arrival at comes on the back of the recent opening by Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer, which is trading from a 1,620sq ft store within Touchwood’s Crescent Arcade.
The lettings to Polestar and Tag Heuer have further enhanced the mix of tenants across retail, leisure and food and beverage at Touchwood, in line with the wider strategy for the scheme. They follow Ardent UK’s acquisition of Touchwood in July last year, and the subsequent appointment of Sovereign Centros as asset manager to drive proactive improvements to the environment in collaboration with new and existing retailers and operators.
Andrew Hilston, Managing Director at Ardent commented: “We are delighted to welcome Polestar to Touchwood. Polestar is an innovative industry leader and will bring an entirely new offering to our tenant line-up, in tandem with Tag Heuer. The next few months are an exciting time for Touchwood as it prepares to play a leading role in the Council’s ambitious growth plans, especially with the 2022 Commonwealth Games just round the corner, during which Solihull will host over half of the events.”
