Two F&B brands have opened units at the 177,000 sq ft The Riverwalk retail and leisure destination in Durham city centre.
The scheme, which is owned by the Clearbell Property Partners II fund managed by Clearbell Capital, secured two deals for 6,000 sq ft to American and Brazilian restaurant chains Fridays and Estábulo.
Adam James, asset management director at Clearbell, said: “The leisure sector is naturally experiencing significant headwinds given the current economic backdrop – not least because of rising energy, fit-out and staff costs. But national and regional occupiers with strong growth brands are still willing to commit to new long-term deals. We welcome these two exciting new openings at The Riverwalk, which reinforce this scheme as the prime leisure destination in the city centre.”
John Sutherland, property director at Fridays, added: “We are ending 2022 on a high note by joining The Riverwalk community and creating 70 new jobs with the opening of our Durham restaurant. The historic and cultural setting of Durham is a great match for Fridays, where honouring our heritage is a significant part of our offering.
“We look forward to opening our doors to the people of Durham and encouraging them to ‘show their stripes’, whatever they may be, while wowing them with memorable service alongside our favourite Fridays classics. From our famous burgers and legendary chicken strips to our vegan fajitas and delicious cocktails, guests will be spoiled for choice.”
Clearbell was advised by Putney Shuttleworth and Rawstron Johnson.
