TREBLE WINNERS FOR BETFRED!

Retail News

Betfred, the largest independent bookmakers in the country with over 1350 shops, have secured three new outlets within the last few weeks in the Midlands region where FHP Property Consultants are their retained agents.

The new branches are at Hunstanton, Cowley and Mansfield, two of which are new leases with the third being a freehold purchase and all with established A2 planning consents in place.

Mark Bradley, Director of FHP who acts for the betting chain commented:-

“Hunstanton had been a target town for some considerable time as there is only one other national bookmaker and the main retail pitch is fairly tight with limited opportunities arising.  When we became aware that a local estate agent was closing in the town centre an approach was quickly made to the owners and an off market deal was swiftly concluded with the added benefit of an existing A2 consent.

The acquisition at Cowley, a suburb of Oxford, was for a relocation of an off pitch former small Tote shop.  The new unit is the old Post Office occupying a prominent corner location at the entrance to the Templars Square Shopping Centre.  The property was refurbished to create two new retail units with multi use planning consents already in place.  The strategic relocation has resulted in Betfred being positioned adjacent to the main entrance and better placed than the nearby competition. 

In Mansfield, the former Santander branch at 23 Stockwell Gate was purchased freehold as part of a package deal involving several other of the banks surplus branches, all with the benefit of the existing A2 consents. Betfred had specifically targeted a location facing the open air market and eventually secured a suitable unit after several abortive attempts involving other nearby properties.”

Betfred, who operate from their head office in Warrington which includes a large call centre for customer credit accounts and online betting, are continuing with their nationwide strategic expansion programme into both new locations and also to reposition the estate with more modern larger shops upon lease expiry or former Tote shop relocations.

Details of suitable properties of between 800 – 1500 sq ft ground floor area should be forwarded to Mark Bradley at markb@fhp.co.uk, telephone 01332 343222.