Joint Venture

Capital & Regional PLC 03 June 2003 3 June 2003 CAPITAL & REGIONAL PLC / AWG PLC JOINT VENTURE GREAT NORTHERN LEISURE AND RETAIL COMPLEX, MANCHESTER Capital & Regional plc, the specialist co-investing property asset manager, announces that it has on 30 May 2003 entered into a 50:50 joint venture with AWG Plc in respect of the Great Northern leisure and commercial development in central Manchester. Capital & Regional has invested £5m into the joint venture and will also manage the property which is valued at £72.5m. Senior debt has been provided by the Bank of Scotland. The scheme lies at the heart of Manchester's city centre leisure, pubs and conference area in a substantial island block of some 12 acres bounded by Peters Street, Deansgate and Great Bridgewater Street, adjacent to the GMEX complex and Metro station. Great Northern is a Grade II listed Victorian warehouse providing a mix of pubs, offices, leisure and retail accommodation, together with a new cinema building and an open public square. The scheme provides a total of 34,528m2 (371,657 ft2), together with a 1,234 space car park. The central location provides a wide range of opportunities for improving or varying the leisure offer. The scheme is partly let and generates current net income of £4.8m per annum. AMC occupies approximately 75,000 ft2 and NCP operates the car park. There are a number of smaller tenants in occupation along the Deansgate frontage and around the arena. The remaining space offers significant opportunities to increase income. Commenting on the transaction Tony Donnelly of AWG Plc said "We believe that Capital & Regional has the retail and leisure expertise to get the right tenant mix and to allow the scheme to maximise its potential. Commenting on the transaction, Martin Barber, Chief Executive of Capital & Regional said: "We are very pleased that AWG has chosen us as their partner. We believe this represents an opportunity to transform the complex into a major leisure destination for Manchester and the north west". - ENDS - For further information: Capital & Regional plc Martin Barber Tel: 020 7932 8000 AWG Plc Mike Keohane Tel: 01480 323280 Hudson Sandler Michael Sandler / Wendy Baker Tel: 020 7796 4133 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
UK 100

Latest directors dealings