NEW PIAZZA A BOOST FOR ALFRESCO DINING , June 2006

Nottingham's £10m development, Lace Market Square, has appointed its team to promote the bar and restaurant units around the central piazza.

Developers Bildurn Properties has appointed specialists Fisher Hargreaves Proctor, who join Nattrass Giles, to let the 7,000 sq ft of space below the 46 Lace Market Square apartments. Fisher Hargreaves Proctor is confident of attracting a leading restaurant brand due to the location and the alfresco dining opportunities offered by the development - which will be available in spring 2007.

Bildurn's Lace Market Square is in the heart of the fashionable Lace Market district and has been designed by architects Franklin Ellis and is an attractive proposition for restaurateurs. The development is situated between the city centre's Bridlesmith Gate fashion district, home to top retailers such as Paul Smith, Kurt Geiger and Molton Brown and the bohemian Hockley Village area of Nottingham.

Lace Market Square is built around a central 11, 000 sq ft public piazza, onto which the units will face. In addition to the 7,000 sq ft there is also a two-storey glazed restaurant overlooking the piazza."

Sean Akins, Director at Bildurn added: "Fisher Hargreaves Proctor's experience in marketing Nottingham's quality bar and restaurant space to top brands will compliment Nattrass Giles, who have been involved in the project since the outset"

Fisher Hargreaves Proctor's Leisure team was responsible for both the development and letting of Nottingham's successful Cornerhouse scheme as well as acquisitions for JD Wetherspoons, Whitbread and Pizza Express and bringing the Hard Rock Café to the City. They have also concluded lettings in Nottingham city centre to the likes of Living Room, Ha! Ha! Dogma, Bella Pasta and most recently Piccolinos at Weekday Cross.

Fisher Hargreaves Proctor is particularly strong in the Nottingham City Centre market are also responsible for the marketing of the nearby One Fletcher Gate and The Pod retail developments which, together with Lace Market Square, make up a trinity of adjacent high value restaurant, leisure and retail space linking the city centre's fashion district of Bridlesmith Gate with Lace Market Square.

David Hargreaves said: "This is a good time to be letting restaurant units in Nottingham. High quality London brands such as Yo Sushi, Strada and Carluccio's are said to be looking for suitable properties in Nottingham and Lace Market Square's location, in the heart of the Lace Market and allowing al fresco dining due to the piazza location, will make it a very exciting addition to Nottingham's dining portfolio. I can see the units being attractive to a fashionable café bar or bar restaurant, since the location puts tenants in the heart of Nottingham's two fashionable dining districts of the Lace Market and Hockley Village.

"A recent poll by researchers Datamonitor found that Britons spend an average of £312 per year eating out, and this is expected to rise to £356 by 2009 and Nottingham is increasing in popularity as a dining destination. The choice and quality of places to eat in Nottingham, coupled with reasonable rents, is giving the city a reputation as a place in which good restaurateurs can be guaranteed of a satisfactory return on their investment."

Construction on site commenced December 2005, with completion due in March 2007.
ENDS
www.lacemarketsquare.co.uk

For further PR information, or for a jpeg image, contact Kathryn Greenwood at Eden PR on 0115 852 4717 or email Kathryn@edenpr.co.uk

Fisher Hargreaves Proctor can be contacted on 0115 950 7577, www.fhp.co.uk