Atria Watford: Venture
manages major retrofit

Dunelm has opened the doors to its new 33,000 sq. ft store in the former John Lewis Building inside Atria Watford. Project managed by Workman’s Venture team, the opening marks the retailer’s first store inside a shopping centre.

As reported by Retail Gazette, the retailer’s stores and people director Amanda Cox said: “Opening a new store and bringing the Dunelm offer to a new community is always good news but the opening in Watford is particularly exciting – this is the first of our stores to be based in a shopping centre, making it very accessible to many new customers.”

The major refurbishment project at Atria Watford commenced in January 2022 and will progress through to completion in May 2024.

Poundland has also opened its new 15,000 sq. ft store for trading at the scheme, with more retailers yet to come.

The former John Lewis department store is being transformed into seven new retail and leisure units, spanning four floors and 165,000 sq. ft of prime retail space.

Workman’s Venture team, spearheaded by James Ainsworth, Partner, worked with contractors Princebuild, and architects Leslie Jones Architecture to deliver the project, led by James Pelly, Senior Asset Manager at Global Mutual, for client SGS.

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