John Lewis, together with Aquila, celebrated on 28th January the topping out ceremony for its 120,000 sq ft store in Chelmsford’s Bond Street retail scheme, scheduled to open in Autumn this year.
The ceremony saw Mayor Paul Hutchinson, as well as Tim Harrison, Director of Store Development at John Lewis, and Tony Chambers, Chairman of Bond Street developer Aquila giving speeches on the important construction milestone and the progress of the development.
John Lewis, the anchor store of the scheme, represents an £18 million investment in the city, and is set to transform the city’s retail offer and create approximately 300 new jobs. The 300,000 sq ft shopping complex will provide Essex with its first ever John Lewis, alongside a vibrant new retail and leisure destination featuring open air shopping as well as landscaped public spaces. Other new brands joining the development include Monsoon, Joules, Fat Face, White Stuff and Schuh.
The shopping experience will also be enhanced by a quality leisure offering including an Everyman boutique cinema and a range of eateries including Byron Hamburgers, Bills, ASK Italian, trans-American cocktail bar and diner Coast To Coast as well as Las Iguanas.
Tim Harrison, Director of Store Development at John Lewis, said: “The Bond Street, Chelsmford store will be John Lewis’ first site in Essex and is set to be one of the most modern shops in our portfolio, bringing together the very best of our services. Twelve months ago we celebrated work beginning on the shop and we’re excited to come back one year on to celebrate this milestone. Bond Street will play a central role in Chelmsford’s future and 2016 is set to be a landmark year for the area.”
Tony Chambers, Chairman of Aquila, said: “We are delighted to have John Lewis at Chelmsford’s Bond Street scheme, bringing its wide product offering to this thriving city and it’s fantastic to see the store construction progressing. We are very proud that such an established brand is the anchor of the development. It’s a very positive endorsement of the city and a clear testament to the strength and quality of the new destination we are creating.”
