Grosvenor Liverpool Fund, owner of Liverpool ONE has announced its sponsorship of the Liverpool Embassy in London, by committing to a £20k Ambassadorial Plus package.
The Embassy, was opened at the end of January and is based in the heart of London’s financial district at 35, New Broad Street.
The Embassy has been established to showcase all that Liverpool has to offer both to private and public sectors, as well as being a meeting place for businesses to find out more about the City, and better understand how well it is placed as a thriving metropolis in the north-west of England.
In sponsoring the Embassy, the Liverpool Fund investors, including Grosvenor, continue their commitment to the success, not only of Liverpool ONE, but of Liverpool City Centre and the wider City Region.
The confidence in the future success of the city was further demonstrated by the recent £385m refinancing of the Liverpool fund and the injection on new equity into the fund by the existing investors.
Liverpool ONE is trading successfully, and has performed exceptionally since opening two years ago, despite the challenging economic climate. It is currently 98 per cent let, with 20 new retailers opening in the past 12 months.
The number of visitors to Liverpool ONE also continues to grow and now stands at more than 24.6m visitors per year. Liverpool ONE has consistently outperformed the IPD Index of large UK shopping centres.
Sarah-Jane Curtis, Fund Manager, Grosvenor Liverpool Fund, said: “Our experience of working in Liverpool and with organisations in the city is a wholly positive one and continues to be so.
“We are delighted to be working with Liverpool City Council and other private sector partners to raise the profile of Liverpool as a city to work, visit and in which to invest. The Embassy is a unique way in which to achieve these objectives.”
Cllr Joe Anderson, leader of Liverpool City Council, said: “Grosvenor’s support of the Embassy is a real coup for the project and we’re extremely pleased to have attracted an organisation with such significant interests in the city.
“Liverpool’s Embassy has got off to a flying start and is already generating a huge amount of interest. Getting Grosvenor on board only adds to the momentum of this venture.”
Notes to Editors:
Liverpool ONE
Liverpool ONE was opened by Grosvenor in 2008, the year of Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture. Grosvenor recognised that the right kind of retail-led regeneration in Liverpool would be a catalyst for the transformation of the city. The scheme was the most significant privately funded investment in Liverpool’s city centre for more than 40 years.
Liverpool ONE has created 3,500 jobs for the city and has already welcomed over 60 million visitors. According to Experian, it is now the fifth largest retail destination in the UK.
The scheme won more than 50 independent industry awards, ranging from “Best shopping location of the year” by Retail Week in 2009 to “National Gold Green Apple Award” (for its bio-diesel project) in 2010, and “Best Extra Large new Development Award” by the International Council of Shopping Centres for 2010. It was also the only masterplan ever to be nominated for the prestigious Stirling Prize, in 2009.
Liverpool is now attracting more people from further afield, as shoppers and tourists experience its rejuvenation first hand. Over 24.6m visitors during 2010.
Grosvenor Liverpool Fund
Liverpool ONE is owned by the Grosvenor Liverpool Fund, which has seven investors (including Grosvenor) and is managed by Grosvenor Fund Management.
Grosvenor Fund Management:
Grosvenor launched its first fund in 1976 and formally established Grosvenor Fund Management (GFM) in 2005. GFM offers a range of sector and regional specialist property investment funds which aim to deliver attractive, risk adjusted returns. Operating from offices in China, France, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Spain, the UK and the USA we employ professionals with local knowledge and skills to execute our investment decisions. Aligning our interests with our partners and building long-term investor relationships is of paramount importance to us. As at 31 December 2009, Funds under Management were £3.6bn with 70 investor partners in 24 funds and separate account mandates. For further details, please see our Annual Report & Accounts available at www.grosvenor.com
For further information, please contact:
Sarah-Jane Curtis, Fund Manager, Grosvenor Liverpool Fund Tel: 020 7312 6234
Or
Allyson Andrews, Media Relations Manager, Grosvenor Tel: 020 7312 6479
Or Mob: 07887 633 832 allyson.andrews@grosvenor.com
Or
Jonathan Caswell, Head of Public Relations, Liverpool Vision, Tel: 0151 600 2946 or jcaswell@liverpoolvision.co.uk