Land Securities, the UK’s largest commercial property company, has revealed a multi-million pound investment and unique new approach to food and leisure which it will launch into the heart of Trinity Leeds, the only major retail and leisure development set to open in 2013.
The concept ‘Trinity Kitchen’ will set a new benchmark for mall dining with an inventive new take on eating, drinking and leisure that will showcase local and national cuisines alongside major international high street food and drink brands.
Trinity Kitchen will bring cooking demonstrations, street food vendors and pop-up market stalls into a shopping centre environment for the first time. Taking its cue from culinary trends emerging in major international food capitals, such as London, Paris and New York, the concept will offer an exciting theatre of food experiences; bringing a range of new, cutting edge food and drink brands to the North of England.
As a first for the UK, Trinity Kitchen will also host a diverse mix of brands in a ‘Street Food market’ which will bring the emerging British Street Food movement into the heart of the development. Retaining the authenticity by only selecting the very best Street Food vans from across the UK, Trinity Kitchen will host five pop-up food traders who will change on a regular basis, providing shoppers with constantly new and diverse food choices.
The street market will be carefully curated by Richard Johnson, the renowned UK food journalist and broadcaster and the brains behind the emerging British Street Food movement and acclaimed British Street Food Awards. The street market will also host visiting local and international chefs as part of a rolling events programme.
The Land Securities team behind Trinity Kitchen sought out seven carefully selected global brands, each placed in a different ‘pod’ style setting which allows them to bring their individual character to life and provides a sense of theatre for shoppers. Trinity Kitchen will increase the presence of food and beverage at Trinity Leeds by 50%, reflecting a significant shift in the focus of future retail developments towards the creation of leisure and lifestyle, to complement the retail offer.
Andrew Dudley, Trinity Leeds Development Director at Land Securities, said: “With Trinity Kitchen we aim to lead the charge for next generation retail destinations, by bringing our scheme in line with the rapidly changing lifestyle habits and demands of UK and global consumers, creating an entirely new and highly innovative F&B model yet to be replicated by any other retail scheme.
“Consumers now demand considerably more from a retail destination than simply a place to refuel and continue shopping. Consumers want an inspiring experience embedded into the fabric of their surroundings, rather than the predictable and mundane.
“Consumers are shopping ‘out’ less often; but when they do, they want to make an event of it. Retail and leisure spaces become cultural and lifestyle destinations in their own right – and we have designed Trinity Leeds around this central premise.”
Andrew Turf, Leasing Manager for Trinity Kitchen, said: “Trinity Kitchen will bring consumers a constantly evolving, eclectic and stimulating social hub – day and night – that will reinvent city living.”
The space is set to showcase Trinity Leeds against a changing retail landscape. Trinity Kitchen seeks to mirror a rapidly emerging movement within the home itself – away from separate kitchen, living and dining areas towards the creation of a single, holistic space - a social and flexible environment for living - and is billed as the next step forward in the UK’s approach to eating and shopping, responding to a consumer-driven demand for affordability, fun and variety at the centre of the modern retail, leisure and dining experience.
Recent international partners to sign up to Trinity Kitchen include Pho, Tortilla and Chicago Rib Shack all of which are coming out of London and the South East for the first time. Circle Club Champagne bar is also joining the exclusive line up.
Christian Arden, of Chicago Rib Shack says: “Trinity Kitchen is an innovative new concept which we are thrilled to be a part of. It will provide Leeds consumers with a stunning new dining experience, and brings our brand to the North for the first time.”
Brandon Stephens, founder of Tortilla, commented: “Mexican inspired cuisine has taken off in London over the last few years and we’re excited about bringing quality tacos and burritos to Leeds for the first time. Trinity Kitchen demonstrates how forward thinking developers are bringing the best of F&B into an experiential led retail space, and we feel this is a perfect fit for our exciting brand.”
Trinity Leeds is a 1 million sq ft retail and leisure destination in the heart of Leeds opening on 21st March 2013. It is the only retail scheme currently being developed in Western Europe, and will be the only major scheme to launch in 2013, creating over 3,500 jobs in the city.
Trinity Kitchen will open in Autumn 2013, providing new and compelling reasons for shoppers to continue to visit Trinity Leeds when this new concept is revealed.