On the market, One of North Staffordshire’s most beloved Trentham Shopping Village visitor attractions has announced plans to sell the property.
St Modwen, a property developer, has owned the Trentham Estate for over 30 years.
It has since been transformed into a award-winning leisure destination, with a shopping village, garden centre, picturesque Italian Gardens, and Treetop Adventures.
Every year, more than 750,000 people visit the Midlands and other parts of the UK.
St Modwen now confirms that it intends to transfer the estate to an organization which can continue to invest’ in the business and’support its continued success’.
St Modwen’s decision that The Trentham Shopping Village Estate be put up for sale is part of the company’s larger plans to concentrate on logistics and house building over the next two-years.
It plans to sell PS200m worth of assets by 2023.
A spokesperson for the company stated that they were proud of their investment in The Trentham Estate over many decades, bringing it back to life and making it a popular shopping and leisure destination.
“In recent years, St Modwen’s focus has been on core areas such as housebuilding and the development of logistics properties. We plan to sell Trentham over the next few years to an organization that can invest in the business as well as act as custodian for its continued success.
Trentham Shopping Village Monkey Forest, which is an independent business, is not being sold in the deal. However the land where it is located will go to the new owners.
Under current lockdown restrictions, the Trentham Estate, which is managed by Trentham Leisure Ltd, remains partially accessible.
Alastair Budd, the senior director, wants to assure visitors and staff that business will continue as normal under the new ownership once the country is free from the pandemic.
He stated that St Modwen was primarily a regeneration and redevelopment business, and had made substantial investments in the area over the past 30 years. It has made the business transform from the old Trentham into what it is today, which is a nationally-respected paid-for garden.
“It is a hugely successful site, but now St Modwen feels that the time is right to bring someone else in who will continue to take it from strength-to-strength.
“The goal is to sell the business to someone who specializes in leisure. Visitors won’t notice any changes, and all staff will be transferred under TUPE regulations to the new owners.”
Trentham Shopping Village has seen a lot of new businesses open in the past 12 months. These include popular gift shop Got2HaveOne and Peak: Run & Ride. Also, Beauty Outlet, Mountain Warehouse, Trentham Farm Shop, and Beauty Outlet.
The site also hosts regular concerts Trentham Shopping Village
Alastair also insists that any investment made at The Trentham Estate in the future will be continued.
It is not clear at this time if this will include the scrapped plans for a wine tasting venue, a anchor store of 40,000 sq ft next to the extended retail area, and 75 holiday lodges near the Monkey Forest.
He stated, “Nobody should be worried. St Modwen will continue investing in the business until a new owner is found. We understand that Trentham can be a valuable asset for Staffordshire.
“In the short-term we want everything to be back-up-and-running as soon as possible. We are still planning to host our summer concerts in 2018, subject to Covid restrictions.
“We also have the three-day Trentham Live concert in September. We are still selling tickets for this event and we look forward to welcoming people back after the restrictions are lifted.”
Shoppers: “We are concerned that Trentham Retail Village won’t be affordable for average Stokies”
Shoppers want the owner of Stoke-on-Trent’s most famous attractions to do more for their customers to keep restaurants and retailers affordable to all Stokies.
- The coronavirus pandemic has forced Trentham Shopping Village to close down for the past few months.
- StokeonTrentLive readers are concerned that they won’t be able visit the country once it’returns back to normal’.
- They are now asking Trentham Estate for a reduction in rent to allow brands to lower their prices.
- After five years of fighting over rent, The Bakehouse Cafe Bar closed the location.
Antonia Easener stated: “They would be far better off working alongside the businesses they already have, making it cheaper for them to remain and lowering the prices for their customers.”
“While the price is higher than other places, the village attracts a wide range of people.
“The more they raise prices, the smaller their customer base will be, since it will only include those with high incomes who are able to afford them. Only ‘designer brands’ can afford rents.
“Trentham is a community village that gives access to most of Stoke-on-Trent’s population, and people who are willing to travel from other areas to see it.
“An initial dip from rents will be recouped by an increase of footfall – footfall that includes people spending more because it is more affordable. They seem determined to push people away and increase prices.
Trentham Shopping Village
Explore the 77 timber lodges that house amazing shops, cafes, and restaurants along with Trentham Garden Centre. Trentham Shopping Village can be found just 5 minutes from Junction 15 on the M6 motorway, which is the dual carriageway that runs between Stone and Newcastle Under Lyme. There is FREE parking every day.
Find the perfect gift
Beware! Trentham Shopping Village has both big and small independent retailers. The latest fashions, delicious food, and everything you need for your home are all available at Trentham Shopping Village.
The Trentham Garden Centre, an award-winning facility, is simply amazing and offers a wide range of gardening and lifestyle products.
- A-Z of Shops
- A Real Foodie Destination
Trentham is the perfect place for foodies. There are many restaurants that cater to ladies who love to eat lunch, family meals, delicious snacks, and romantic dinners. You can find everything from fish and chips, modern Mediterranean, and more! You can eat breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner, and supper at the restaurant.
- A-Z of Eateries
- Accessible to everyone
All shops and cafes are accessible from one level of the village. There are 61 spaces for disabled people, many disabled toilets, and a Changing Places area. For more information, please visit our accessibility page.