Fosse Shopping Park

Fosse Shopping Park, commonly called Fosse Park, is a large out-of-town shopping and leisure destination in Enderby parish, within the Blaby district on the southern edge of Leicester, England. It occupies a strategically accessible location close to the M1/M69 Junction 21 interchange, where the motorways connect with the A5460, Leicester’s ring-road network and routes serving the wider Leicestershire area. The site forms part of a broader mixed industrial and commercial zone rather than a conventional city-centre shopping district. The original Fosse Park opened in 1989 after development by London & Edinburgh Trust. The first scheme covered approximately 265,000 square feet and contained twelve retail warehouses, with Marks & Spencer serving as a key anchor. The park was subsequently enlarged through the creation and acquisition of Fosse Park South. In 1996, Castlemore Securities acquired an adjoining former factory site associated with the Oliver Group, a shoe manufacturer and retailer, and secured restricted planning consent for a southern extension. In 1997, Pillar Property acquired both Fosse Park South and the original park, bringing the two components under unified ownership and creating an investment of approximately 416,536 square feet. Fosse Park became a significant investment asset in the UK retail-property market. Ownership and sale discussions during the 2000s reflected the strong rents and valuations associated with the location. Pillar Property explored a sale in 2004 but withdrew when the expected valuation was not achieved. Reit Asset Management acquired the park in 2005, and Irish investors purchased it in 2006. The asset was placed on the market again in 2010. Reported average rents rose substantially from about £11 per square foot at opening to approximately £105 per square foot by 2010, illustrating the site’s commercial strength relative to other British retail parks. The tenant mix has changed over time as British retailing evolved. Longstanding and current operators have included Marks & Spencer, Boots, Currys, Next, TK Maxx, Primark, Nike, Flannels, JD Sports, Sports Direct, River Island, New Look, Pandora, Zizzi and other fashion, beauty, home, food and specialist retailers. Marks & Spencer remains the longest-serving anchor tenant and has undergone refurbishment and expansion. Earlier occupants included a range of department, fashion, electronics, home-improvement and children’s retailers, many of which subsequently disappeared from the British high street or changed operating format. A major later development was Fosse Park West and the Food Central extension, which opened to the public in April 2021 on land previously occupied by Everards Brewery. This expansion added further retail and food-and-beverage capacity and included eight Tesla Superchargers. The park is also supported by a substantial public-transport network, with services operated by Arriva Midlands, First Leicester and Centrebus, together with a Leicester Southern Orbital route, FlixBus stops and the Enderby Park & Ride service. Fosse Shopping Park’s positioning is based on destination retailing: a broad tenant offer, large-format stores, extensive road access and the convenience of combining shopping, dining and transport facilities outside the city centre. Its development history illustrates the continuing importance of accessible regional retail parks in the UK, while its changing tenant base reflects consolidation, store closures, brand turnover and the growth of food, leisure and premium fashion uses.

Fosse Shopping Park was developed as a major out-of-town retail destination on the southern edge of Leicester. London & Edinburgh Trust opened the original scheme in 1989. The development comprised approximately 265,000 square feet and twelve retail warehouses, including Marks & Spencer as an anchor tenant. Its location near the M1 and M69 Junction 21 gave it strong access to Leicester, Leicestershire and passing motorway traffic. The park expanded through the development of Fosse Park South. In 1996, Castlemore Securities bought an adjacent former factory site associated with the Oliver Group, a shoe manufacturer and retailer. Castlemore obtained restricted planning consent for the southern development. In 1997, Pillar Property acquired Fosse Park South for £52.5 million and the original Fosse Park for £60 million from SPP, the Swedish pension fund associated with London & Edinburgh Trust. The transaction united the two sections and produced a retail investment of approximately 416,536 square feet, valued at about £205 million the following year. Fosse Park subsequently became a notable institutional retail-property asset. Pillar Property attempted to sell the park in 2004 but withdrew when the proposed valuation of £320 million was not achieved. Reit Asset Management acquired it in 2005 for £308 million, while Pillar had valued the asset at £350 million. Irish investors bought the park in 2006 and it was again placed on the market in 2010. Reported rents increased markedly during the period, from approximately £11 per square foot when the park opened to around £105 per square foot by 2010. The tenant mix developed alongside changes in British retailing. Marks & Spencer remained the principal long-term anchor, while the park hosted fashion, footwear, electronics, home-improvement, beauty, food and children’s retailers. Former occupants included Mothercare, Wallis, Habitat, Dorothy Perkins, BHS, Comet, Gap, Focus Do It All and Outfit, among others. Some departures resulted from retailer failures, corporate restructuring, brand consolidation or changes in store formats. Currys also absorbed the former PC World and Carphone Warehouse presence into a changed electronics-retail model. In April 2021, Fosse Park West and the Food Central extension opened on land formerly occupied by Everards Brewery. The project expanded the destination’s retail and food offer and included eight Tesla Superchargers. A Tesla pop-up location later operated outside Marks & Spencer in May 2024. The park is served by numerous bus routes, including Arriva Midlands, First Leicester and Centrebus services, as well as the Leicester Southern Orbital route. FlixBus services use a stop on Fosse Park Avenue for routes to destinations including London, Glasgow and Manchester, while the Enderby Park & Ride service stops on Everards Way. Fosse Park therefore operates as a regional destination supported by both motorway access and public transport.

• 2024

  Tesla pop-up location operates at the park

  [1]Fosse Shopping Parken.wikipedia.org

  Tesla opened a temporary pop-up location outside Marks & Spencer in May.

• 2021

  Fosse Park West and Food Central open

  [1]Fosse Shopping Parken.wikipedia.org

  A major extension opened on the former Everards Brewery site, including eight Tesla Superchargers.

• 2005

  Reit Asset Management acquisition

  [1]Fosse Shopping Parken.wikipedia.org

  Reit Asset Management acquired Fosse Park in a reported £308 million transaction.

• 1997

  The two sections are brought together

  [1]Fosse Shopping Parken.wikipedia.org

  Pillar Property acquired Fosse Park South and the original park, uniting them into a single investment.

• 1996

  Planning secured for Fosse Park South

  [1]Fosse Shopping Parken.wikipedia.org

  Castlemore Securities acquired an adjoining former Oliver Group factory site and obtained restricted planning consent for a southern extension.

• 1989

  Original Fosse Park opens

  [1]Fosse Shopping Parken.wikipedia.org

  London & Edinburgh Trust opened the first approximately 265,000-square-foot scheme with twelve retail warehouses and Marks & Spencer as an anchor.

A major regional out-of-town shopping park combining accessible large-format retail, fashion, food and leisure operators near Leicester’s motorway network.

• Fashion retail

  Fashion and apparel retail

  Fosse Park’s fashion offer spans value, mainstream, premium and specialist retailers. Current or recently identified operators include Primark, Next, River Island, Flannels, Hobbs, Phase Eight, Whistles, New Look and Marks & Spencer. The mix allows the park to serve everyday clothing needs as well as occasionwear and premium fashion purchases.

• Sports and footwear retail

  Sportswear and footwear

  Sports and footwear stores form a significant part of the destination’s offer, with operators including Nike, Foot Asylum, JD Sports and Sports Direct & USC. These stores provide athletic footwear, sports apparel, casual streetwear and related accessories in large-format and specialist settings.

• Health and beauty retail

  Beauty, health and personal care

  The park includes health, pharmacy, beauty and personal-care retailers such as Boots, Superdrug and Holland & Barrett. The category supports both destination shopping and routine convenience purchases, complementing fashion and food operators.

• Consumer electronics retail

  Consumer electronics and technology

  Currys provides the principal identified consumer-electronics offer, covering computing, household technology, entertainment products and associated services. Former PC World and Carphone Warehouse locations were consolidated into the Currys format.

• Food and beverage · 2021

  Food Central and dining

  Food and beverage uses include quick-service restaurants and casual dining, with identified operators including KFC, McDonald’s and Zizzi. Food Central, opened as part of the 2021 extension, strengthened the park’s role as a longer-stay shopping and dining destination.

• 2024Tesla pop-up location

  United Kingdom

  Tesla operated a temporary retail pop-up outside Marks & Spencer, giving visitors an additional vehicle and technology-related brand experience within the shopping park.

  Outcome. The pop-up was described as temporary; no longer-term outcome is established.

  Source

• 2021

  Expansion through Fosse Park West and Food CentralStrategy

  Background

  The retail park expanded onto land previously occupied by Everards Brewery as competition and changing consumer expectations increased the importance of broader retail, dining and convenience facilities.

  Action taken

  Fosse Park West and Food Central were opened to the public in April 2021, with eight Tesla Superchargers included in the development.

  Aftermath

  The extension increased the park’s retail and food-and-beverage capacity and reinforced its destination-shopping positioning.

  Source

1. 1Fosse Shopping Parken.wikipedia.org