Filton shopping centre, Bristol, adds Asda and other major chains to its list of retail occupiers2nd December 2013

The revitalised Abbey Wood Shopping Park in Filton, Bristol, which underwent a £10 million refurbishment and extension programme has acquired new retail occupiers in the form of a new 24-hour Asda, Costa Coffee, Frankie & Benny's and Nando's.

Sporting Pro, the new sports fascia owned by value fashion chain Matalan and backed by Intersport, will also open its first store in the South West at Abbey Wood before Christmas.

Existing retailers at the park include Matalan, Pets at Home, Brantano, Next Clearance and McDonalds. Further stores due to open there include Subway, which is due to open before Spring 2014.

Ian Cody, Asset Manager, Hermes Real Estate Investment Management Limited (HREIML), said: “This is an exciting time for the scheme and we’re looking forward to working with the new and existing shops and restaurants to provide a new shopping and leisure destination for the local community.

“The area is rapidly developing with new homes, businesses, the University campus and public facilities so it’s important to us that we provide a central location where people can get their groceries, take their pets to the vet, shop for clothes, homeware and come together to socialise.

“The park has the opportunity to be a local hub and we’re keen to develop that further. The next step will be turning the community space into a doctor’s surgery, post office and library or exercise space – a place that is beneficial to nearby businesses and local residents.”

The redevelopment of the shopping park has included demolishing the former Woolworths and TJ Hughes stores to build nine new units ranging from 1,500 sq ft – 45,251 sq ft including the new Asda store. The canopy and facades along the Northern Terrace, home to the existing retailers, have been renewed and artwork displaying a black and white scene of Filton Abbey Wood Station has also been installed to the rear of Costa and Nandos.

A new pedestrian foot bridge has been created to the rear of the new Frankie & Benny’s to improve the access to the site from Filton Abbey Wood Station and the Ministry of Defence’s Abbey Wood site. In addition, bike racks have been installed for cyclists using the surrounding foot and cycle paths that link the site to Bristol Parkway Stations, the Ministry of Defence and UWE’s Frenchay campus.