SGS UK Retail, TDL Media and XPE have launched a strategic partnership to align the marketing, management and leasing of Braehead Shopping Centre, Braehead Arena and XSite, the adjacent regional leisure destination.  Called Braehead Ambition, the partnership will add value for visitors, retailers and operators, working in collaboration to deliver a consistent and clear approach to the customer experience across the extensive Braehead estate.

Reporting to a board comprising SGS UK Retail, TDL Media and XPE Group Plc, the asset management and operational team includes Pradera Lateral, Savills, BWP Group, Lunson Mitchenall, BGP, and Metis.  The owners and their advisors will work as one team to enhance and evolve the assets, and visitors, retailers, and operators can look forward to an even more enlivened, coherent and compelling experience, amplifying and expanding the natural trading synergy between adjacent ownerships.

Totalling 1,450,000 sq ft and attracting a combined 16.3 million visitors a year (which is expected to grow to 17.6 million by the end of 2026), Braehead Shopping Centre, XSite and The Arena offer shopping, dining, leisure and entertainment, along with live events, exhibitions, sport and extensive free parking.  As well as the local population, the destination serves a loyal and growing catchment of 2.2 million people with over £6.3 billion of available retail and leisure spend.  Braehead Ambition will ensure Braehead is always the destination of choice for consumers, and for retail and leisure businesses looking to open in Glasgow.

Commenting on the creation of the partnership, Claire Barber, CEO of SGS UK Retail, said: “The scale and diversity of Braehead Ambition’s offer means the destination is more relevant to more consumers more of the time.  The partnership will position Braehead as a lifestyle choice, creating even higher levels of loyalty and engagement that will drive the commercial performance of the individual assets, and the wider social and economic prosperity of the area.”

Barry Cox, Non-Exec Director at XPE Group Plc, commented: “This partnership celebrates a shared commitment to offer consumers a unique destination, one whose total is greater even than the sum of the parts.  As consumers are becoming ever more discerning as to where and how they spend their time and money, bringing together the strength of our individual assets to create the strongest destination of scale in Glasgow makes total sense for our customers, our business partners, and for Renfrew.”

Councillor John Shaw, Convener of Finance, Resources and Customer Services at Renfrewshire Council and Chair of Renfrew Local Partnership, also welcomed the initiative, adding: “I welcome the creation of this strategic partnership between Braehead Shopping Centre, Braehead Arena and XSite.  Individually, each is very popular and very successful, but together they create a destination unrivalled in Scotland.  This collective approach creates more choice, scale and opportunity, and I am confident the partnership will fuel further success for Braehead and bring additional benefits to the local area through community engagement.”

All the assets in Braehead Ambition are benefiting from ongoing programme of enhancement, with over £12 million being invested by XPE Group Plc in XSite, and anchored around the recently announced K1 go karting attraction.  Similarly, SGS UK Retail has secured several new brands, upsizes and renewals at Braehead Shopping Centre, and Braehead Arena, which is now owned by TDL Media, has received upgrades that increase its flexibility as a 5,200-seat multi-purpose events and sports venue.

In addition to Braehead Shopping Centre, Braehead Arena and XSite, the area has become established as a hub for premium automotive brands, such as Ferrari, Land Rover, Mercedes, BMW, Harley Davidson and Ducati, and is also home to IKEA and Sainsbury’s.  Alongside the significant growth in housing, public realm enhancements to Renfrew Riverside and major infrastructure investment, including the recently opened Renfrew Bridge spanning the River Clyde, are adding value to local residents and businesses.