Page 23 - #203 November 2025

COVER STORY right is that existing tenants such as Tenpin store. Recognising the importance of this power and potential customer base for Xsite Braehead.”
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(bowling) and Paradise Island Adventure Golf
As the site transitions into a next-generation
house destination that together offers unrivalled
are investing in major refits, whilst Odeon is shopping, dining, leisure and entertainment, destination, what would Cooper say is the over-
upgrading its cinema to become a Laser IMAX along with live events, exhibitions and sport, arching brand strategy?
site. Fitness and wellness uses including a earlier this year XPE Group joined forces with “GRID was born from a simple idea, to
Gymnastics Academy are being introduced Braehead owner SGS UK Retail and Arena oper create the ultimate safe, genuinely fun and
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alongside K1 Speed, as Cooper explains that ator TDL Media to form Braehead Ambition - a personalised playground for everyone to
each element fits together serving a different practical strategic partnership to amplify and identify with. We want this to be a complete
audience within a shared experience. align all that Braehead offers - for customers and sensory re-tuning of the space. This isn’t a
“Ultimately the building envelope isn’t huge operators alike. It’s an important partnership for surface-level change; it is a re-engineering of
and whilst we have taken some new uses such as Renfrewshire Council too - driving long-term how people feel about GRID when they walk
Padel outside under cover, to expand our overall social and economic growth for the region. through the door, when they engage with us
footprint into previously dormant service yard This last point highlights an important online and when they are making decisions
space, our strategy is clear - we only allow in stakeholder relationship often overlooked. For about how they spend their time.”
complimentary components so that the whole the local civic administration, XPE Group has Set to be a pivotal destination welcoming
Entertainment at Every Turn ends up being more than the sum of its parts.” delivered a hugely positive long term contri- loyal local customers from north and south
of the Clyde, new visitors from the Glasgow
bution. Over 250 direct jobs have already been
Through these different offerings, fami-
lies, larger social and even corporate groups,
to be Scotland’s flagship leisure location,
new units open up. The team behind GRID
friends hanging out together and solo visi- created, with even more to follow as additional region and beyond, the ambition is for GRID
tors can all find something at GRID. And the have made a deliberate effort to source locally, assured in its appeal and positioned to grow
reworked social spaces, excellent Wi-Fi and support apprenticeships and provide entry-level alongside Renfrew and Braehead over the
unexpected activations all help to encourage opportunities. And of course local residents no coming decade.
Once home to the only real-snow indoor ski slope and padel, alongside treasured family favourites longer dwell times. It is a carefully tuned longer need to travel so far to spend their free “Our goal is to create a destination that’s
in Scotland, GRID is scheduled to take over the - gymnastics, adventure golf and a new IMAX ecosystem built on variety and rhythm that time enjoying life. thriving, providing a world-class experience,
The redevelopment has been warmly
current XSite Braehead scheme in Glasgow in Laser cinema. New ‘all day’ F&B offers add XPE Group informally call their “always welcomed by Renfrewshire Council Leader whilst remaining rooted as part of the Ren-
appeal for a new cohort of daytime visitors - and
changing, never standing still” philosophy.
frew community. In the end, that is the future
January 2026, crowning a multi-million pound a constantly revolving agenda of events and “By improving the quality to international Iain Nicolson, saying: “We’re delighted to see of retail and leisure, it’s not just about footfall;
transformation project that is guaranteed to commercialisation activations (delivered by standards while keeping it accessible, we aim additional investment that will boost the Ren- it’s about creating a sense of belonging. ‘Build
provide entertainment around every corner. As a specialist consultant Clicks To Bricks) ice the to give a wider audience a place they are proud frewshire economy and provide new, exciting it and they will come’ has long expired as a
role model example of repositioning a 20 year old family-focused leisure cake with unexpected treats which also drive net to have on their doorstep at a price that allows leisure and business opportunities for the area. mantra. Just as it applies in retail, laser sharp
revenue. Cooper and the team want GRID to feel
The refreshed development is further positive
curation and next generation expert man-
regular repeat indulgence,” says Cooper.
investment, the redevelopment aims to lay the track for a new kind of ‘always on’, like there is entertainment around As our topic of conversation moves onto stra- regeneration that our local residents will see the agement is where it’s at for assets like these,”
entertainment experience. RLI caught up with XPE Group Director every corner, constantly renewing, so repeat tegic partnerships, Pete highlights that GRID immediate benefit of following the delivery of Cooper concludes.
Pete Cooper to find out more about the overall vision for the complex. visits become a compelling preference. is located alongside Braehead Arena, Braehead the new Renfrew Bridge close by which has sig-
Delivering the reworked space, leasing and Shopping Centre and close to the region’s IKEA nificantly improved the transport connections experiencethegrid.co.uk
Taking over XSite from its administrators XPE Group embarked on a journey to transform brand strategy is just the start of the investment
back in 2022, the scheme XPE Group inherited the scheme into a resilient, high performance and transformation process for GRID. The next
was outdated and under-invested. Some shop international grade investment asset. stage is about going into real detail, maximising
units had never been let since completion in Discussing what prompted the decision the asset growth potential through XPE Group’s
2006, others were let but not operating and the to reposition the scheme, Cooper explains physical and digital stewardship.
anchor tenant, a real snow ski-slope, was shut but how consumer expectations have shifted At the heart of the new development is the
still consuming energy at an exceptionally high dramatically as people look for more than game-changing K1 Speed, a brilliant world-class
rate to avoid a waterfall into the cinema below. transactional retail, instead wanting more e-karting phenomenon, a US-based business
All this however, hid the potential of what lay social, memorable and interactive offerings with a strong global presence - something
underneath. A new family-oriented catchment that are worth travelling for. Cooper mentions would not have been possible
was moving into the thousands of homes Ren- “Buildings today cannot just rely on a rel- without the unique column free space the ski
frewshire Council were delivering with partners atively fixed ‘monochrome’ offer, day in day slope removal secured. K1 reinvents the build-
nearby, the new Renfrew bridge was under con - out; the more successful venues are constantly ing’s identity, as karting replaces the regional
struction near the site which would enable easy adapting their character and we will all be seeing impact skiing provided back in 2006.
access to affluent customer markets north of the more of this in places like GRID, as well as shop- David Danglard, K1 Speed CEO commented:
River Clyde and solving the ski-slope problem ping centres, airports, retail parks and even well “Our new centre at GRID will launch our most
offered potential to re-purpose around 10,000sq curated town centres. It’s how physical will keep ambitious project yet: the world’s longest indoor
m of column free triple height internal space. pace with and even beat digital when customers go-kart track. This record-breaking distinction
“We saw an opportunity to refocus, tune up, make their choices.” is designed not only to thrill our millions of loyal
broaden the appeal, activate dormant space XPE Group focused on simple customer racers worldwide but also to attract a new wave
and reposition the centre as a true regional oriented principles in arriving at a strategy that of drivers, all eager to experience this one-of-a-
attraction,” highlights Cooper. “So as a newly worked - a research led rebalanced offer gener- kind race circuit.”
appointed board we brought in new invest- ating a strong regional appeal; a laser focus on The cumulative momentum of all this
ment, asset and property management skills to local advocacy through stakeholder engagement has driven a bold decision to re-name XSite,
create a vision, a strategy and a fully analysed, and event management; an easy to use customer creating clear space between the old, the new
risk managed delivery programme.” experience and a relentless attention to detail - all and based on a play between the site’s original
Working with retail asset management spe- feeding into the right marketing platform. use as a power station and the project’s new
cialists Pradera Lateral, destination marketing This approach gave XPE Group confidence to anchor ‘...folks, please take your place on ...the
specialists BWP and property manager Savills, introduce entirely fresh uses such as e-karting ‘GRID’. The catalyst effect of getting all this

22 Retail & Leisure International November 2025