Liverpool’s Clayton Square Shopping Centre has been sold to InfraRed Capital Partners by Land Securities. The 170,000 sq ft centre comprises 34 separate shop units, with existing tenants including popular high street names such as Boots, the Body Shop and Vision Express.
Liverpool One faces competition now Infrared have acquired Clayton Square
InfraRed will be drawing upon its extensive knowledge of the UK shopping centre property market, as the firm has managed three separate shopping complex funds between 1998 and 2006.
Additionally, it purchased and sold on a further 20 retail complexes throughout the same period, making the capital business one of the most prolific investors in the field.
While the firm may have taken a brief respite after 2006, it re-entered the market with the acquisition of The Galleries, Bristol in 2011. Now it appears to be on something of an investment drive with a view to expanding its presence nationwide once more.
Director of InfraRed, Christopher Huxtable, confirmed the company’s determination to become a leading light in the shopping centres market once more.
He said; “The purchase of Clayton Square consolidates our position in Liverpool’s central retail market and adds to our growing portfolio of UK shopping centres.
“We are pursuing further acquisitions of well-located centres within strong retail markets that require intensive asset management and repositioning.”
Clayton Square is certainly a wise investment in terms of strategy, as it is in the proximity of Liverpool Central Station and as such allows for a large volume of passing custom.
Furthermore, St John’s Centre lies at the other end of the pedestrianized zone which covers much of Liverpool city centre – interestingly, St John’s is also owned by InfraRed, which has led to speculation regarding a partnership-type scheme of the sort seen in cities such as Bristol and Sheffield.
Although the deal is fairly fresh, InfraRed has already chosen to appoint the Hark Group as the asset managers for the centre, while Munroe K Asset Management will be responsible for the management of the overall property. And given InfraRed’s successful track record, larger centres such as Liverpool One may have an element of competition on their hands.
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