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Taking over XSite from its administrators back in 2022, the scheme XPE Group inherited was outdated and under-invested.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