Telford Shopping Centre asset manager Sovereign Centros, the UK retail and leisure developer, has secured leasing agreements with three popular national restaurant chains.

They have announced TGI Fridays, the Handmade Burger Company and Prezzo for the 26,5000 sq ft Southern Quarter development.

TGI Fridays, the American-themed bar and restaurant, has signed a 15 year lease for 6,793sq ft of space.  Handmade Burger Company, has also signed a 15 year lease for 3,500sq ft of space, while Italian restaurant Prezzo has signed a 20 year lease for 3,500sq ft of space.

The new restaurants will be situated next to Telford’s eleven-screen Imax Cineworld and will complement the existing popular food and beverage offering in Southwater. Construction work is due to start at the end of this month and it is expected that the restaurants will open from the autumn of 2016 onwards, enhancing Telford’s growing reputation as a leisure destination.

Alexandra Pugh, leasing and asset manager at Sovereign Centros, said: “These three lettings total nearly 14,000 sq ft which means that the Southern Quarter is now almost 60% pre-let. We have also received strong occupier interest for the two remaining restaurant units within the scheme and look forward to announcing further additions in the near future.”

Councillor Shaun Davies, cabinet member for Business at Telford & Wrekin Council, said:  “The investment made into Telford Town Centre is helping to boost the borough’s night-time economy and improve the destination’s tourism offer.

“This announcement helps to reinforce that there is significant business confidence in Telford – the fastest growing town in the West Midlands. We welcome this investment and continue to work with Telford Shopping Centre to make Telford a great destination to live, work, visit and invest in.”

The 26,500sq ft Southern Quarter is being built on the site of the former Focus DIY store or ‘Green Shed’, which was demolished in 2014. The contemporary new building will feature an elegant, gently-curved frontage, creating a new landscaped public area and space for the restaurants and cafes to have extensive outside seating, while creating an attractive public route between the new Asda supermarket, Southwater and the entrance to Telford Shopping Centre itself.

The Southern Quarter is the first phase of the multi-million pound development masterplan that is set to transform the shopping centre.  The plans for phase two, the 70,000sq ft Northern Quarter, were given the green light in August and will create up to seven new stores in a redevelopment of the old Asda supermarket facing Red Oak car park.