Open day for new retailers at the mall Bristol

Tuesday, 13th October 2009

The Mall Bristol in Broadmead, the region’s largest shopping area, is holding an Open Day to give entrepreneurs the opportunity to find out more about opening their own business in the heart of the city centre.

Taking place on the 28th October between 10am and 3pm at AZUZA café in The Mall Bristol the event is free and open to everyone. Please click here to download a leaflet.

It has been designed to provide potential businesses with the chance to access all the business information they may need in one place in a relaxed environment. This includes an informal chat with management and lettings teams, a meeting with their local Business Link adviser who can provide one-to-one advice on how to access business support and speaking directly to successful independent retailers who have first-hand experience of trading at The Mall Bristol.
Colin Lang, General Manager of The Mall Bristol, said: “The Mall Bristol offers affordable and flexible retail opportunities and has a strong tenant mix including independent, regional and national brands.
“Following the success of our previous open day in July we wanted to give anyone who is interested in starting their own business, or who may be looking to move or expand to new premises in the city centre, the platform from which to find out more without any pressure.
“The independent business advice sessions from Business Link will be invaluable to budding entrepreneurs or experienced retailers alike.”

AZUZA café is one of The Mall Bristol’s newest retailers and has chosen their new location to become their flagship store. The independent coffee shop and takeaway also has branches in Wiltshire and Berkshire.
Mark Gent, director of AZUZA, said: “The Mall Bristol is a fantastic location in the heart of the city which is why we chose it to become our flagship store. The Mall management made the whole process of starting-up quick and easy and offered great support from the beginning.
“We’re excited to be hosting the Open Day and to give other people the opportunity to realise their dreams. It’s ideal for anyone that just wants to find out more about exactly what’s on offer at The Mall and what’s involved in opening their own business.”

Roger Wilkins, Business Link advisor, said: “We’ll be on hand to offer free independent advice to support any start-up businesses and demonstrate that despite the tough economic climate there are many opportunities to develop and run successful and profitable businesses locally.
“It’s an exciting event for anyone interested in starting a new business or opening a new branch and will demonstrate that owning your own business can be a reality.”

The Mall Bristol is excited to invite new and existing business owners, start-ups, graduates, entrepreneurs or anyone who is interested in finding out more about opening their own business to this free one-day event.

Places are expected to fill-up quickly so to register or to find out more contact Amy Bullen now on 0117 933 9547 or email amy.bullen@brandonhill.co.uk

Case study 1: AZUZA
AZUZA, one of the South West’s leading independent coffee shops, has recently opened its flagship store in The Mall Bristol.
The company is owned by business partners Andrew Moyes and Mark Gent who have chosen The Mall Bristol in Broadmead as the perfect location to expand their business, which has two more branches in Wiltshire and Berkshire.
Keen to make Broadmead their flagship store AZUZA is now trading from The Mall Bristol’s famous 17th century Alms House.
Andrew said: “Mark and I are thrilled to be trading here. When looking for a location The Mall provided the ideal solution. It has easy to access for suppliers and employees, and there is also a high-volume of passing trade. As a small business competing against national chains it is important to get a great location at an affordable price which is exactly what The Mall offers.
“We received invaluable support from the management team especially with planning permission and promotions which have really helped us as we are dealing with a listed building. Our ambition is to open six stores over the next ten years – and as we have had such a good experience here we are ultimately hoping to work with The Mall in other locations across the South West.”
AZUZA serves high-quality, home-cooked food and a wide variety of coffees, teas, smoothies and chilled drinks at very competitive prices. Its relaxed Mediterranean atmosphere, including a great outside terrace, is perfect for Broadmead visitors who have had a long day exploring the shops who want to chill out.
Mark added: “My advice to other retailers looking to expand or considering trading in The Mall Bristol would be to go for it! It has exceeded our expectations and the flexible rates could ultimately help you realise your dream.”

Case study 2: Sairaz
SAIRIAZ, a threading studio and boutique specialising in natural Asian beauty treatments, has recently opened a second store in The Mall Bristol.
Founded by Naheed Iqbal in 2002 the company has since gone from strength-to-strength.
Sairaz provides a broad range of beauty services and has chosen to trade in The Mall Bristol to expand its customer base and increase profit from passing trade.
Naheed said: “I was looking for a unit which was really central but I had always thought that a location like The Mall Bristol would be out of my price range. I was pleasantly surprised as the rates are really affordable. I received lots of support with the initial opening of my unit and the flexible rent periods mean it’s a great place for new start-ups.
“My ambition is to build-up our base of loyal customers and offer a personal, individual service in a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere. The Mall is the perfect location to help me achieve this goal and we’ve already seen a substantial rise in business.”
Naheed also owns a shop on Gloucester Road and first began specialising in traditional techniques such as threading and henna to cater for the large Asian community in Bristol.
She continued: “We have been very successful so far but I am hoping that trading in The Mall will really take us to the next level. The other traders are all really friendly and there is a great sense of camaraderie.
There is a great atmosphere for business as there are lots of quirky boutiques mixed in among the big names. I would definitely advise anyone thinking of starting up in retail to seriously consider The Mall Bristol.”

Editors Notes:
The Mall is the leading owner and operator of community shopping centres in the UK, with 20 shopping malls, over 1,800 retail units and 4 million shopping visits a week.
Visit www.themall.co.uk

For further information on the Mall Bristol please contact, Chris Coleman-Brown at Aspect PR on 01225 473095 or email Chriscb@aspectpartnership.com