Wt Wner Usd Regulatory News (WNER)

12 Jan 2007 10:02

Warner Estate Holdings PLC12 January 2007 Warner Estate Holdings PLC H&M AND ZARA SET THE FASHION FOR NEW SPACE AT MARKET PLACE SHOPPING CENTRE, BOLTON Warner Estate Holdings PLC ("Warner Estate") has announced, on behalf of itsAgora Shopping Centre Fund ("Agora"), a joint venture with Bank of Scotland,that an impressive list of leading fashion retailers has signed pre-lets forAgora's £40million addition to Market Place Shopping Centre, Bolton. H&M, Zara,Warehouse, Lush, Principles, Office, Joy and Starbucks will all be opening theirfirst stores in Bolton, whilst Carphone Warehouse is taking a second store inthe town. A total of 96,416 sq ft of new space is being created within the Grade II listedVictorian Market Hall, which adjoins Market Place Shopping Centre. The MarketHall is being restored and will house innovative retail space designed byarchitects van Heyningen and Haward. Market Place Shopping Centre currently totals 320,000 sq ft and is the primeretail space in Bolton, anchored by Debenhams, Next, Boots and River Island.Construction of the new retail space will begin in Spring 2007, and will becompleted for trading by Christmas 2008. H&M is taking 19,881 sq ft and Zara istaking 16,103 sq ft. Warner Estate asset manages Market Place for the Agora Shopping Centre Fund.Michael Stevens, Property Director at Warner Estate, comments, "We are delightedto have attracted such a high calibre of retailers to Market Place ShoppingCentre, and are confident that we will have more pre-lets to announce shortly.Our proposals will restore the Market Hall to its former glory and will confirmMarket Place Shopping Centre as both the number one retail destination in Boltonand one of the North West's premier shopping destinations." - ends - Date: 12th January 2007 For further information contact: Warner Estate Holdings PLC City Profile Philip Warner, Chairman Simon CourtenayMichael Stevens, Property Director Tel: 020-7488-3244Peter Collins, Finance DirectorTel: 020-7907-5100Web: www.warnerestate.co.uk This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange