Land Securities : Laings to upsize at St David’s marking Welsh debut for Patek Philippe

Title	Laings to upsize at St David's marking Welsh debut for Patek Philippe
From	Landsec
Date	23 September 2021

The St David's Partnership, owners of St David's Cardiff, has announced the forthcoming expansion of Laings' Cardiff showroom. Set to relaunch next month, the upsized 4,500 sq ft showroom will welcome esteemed brands Rolex and Patek Philippe, marking a Welsh debut for the latter.

The transformation of the family-run jewellers' existing boutique at St David's forms an integral part of Laings' UK-wide expansion plan, with a £3 million investment into its presence in Cardiff. This follows the celebration of the brand's 180th year of trading in 2020. The new Laings showroom, which has trebled in size, introduces the Patek Philippe and Rolex brands to St David's for the first time.

Located on The Hayes, Laings' St David's showroom will offer an unrivalled selection of luxury watches and jewellery, including hand selected engagement rings, fine jewellery and luxury timepieces. Designed by the Espirit Group, the expanded showroom will also have dedicated diamond and jewellery areas, providing customers with the opportunity to view carefully curated collections in private.

The transformation of Laings Cardiff marks the beginning of a longer-term growth plan for the brand, a key aim of which is to attract talent into the industry - keeping the traditional crafts of jewellery and watchmaking alive. Laings' national expansion will provide opportunities for both apprentices and existing watchmakers and goldsmiths, safeguarding these artisan skills for the future.

Speaking on behalf of the St David's Partnership, Russell Loveland, Senior Portfolio Director for Landsec, commented: "The investment by brands such as Laings and subsequent introduction of global names such as Patek Philippe to the centre cements Cardiff as a key UK retail destination and builds upon the already strong line up at St David's. Our approach to building collaborative relationships with our brand partners is clearly evidenced with this

significant upsize. By working hand in hand, we're helping our brands succeed, and in doing so ensuring St David's goes from strength to strength.

Joe Walsh, CEO of Laings, added: "Our showroom is located right at the heart of Cardiff and our expanded presence here means we can give the luxury brands we represent the stage on which to shine. We knew that we wanted St David's to play an integral part in our extensive national investment

programme, and the expansion of our Cardiff showroom has allowed us to create a new experience for our clients, centred around the exceptional service Laings is known for. We can't wait to unveil our new showroom to our Welsh clientele next month."

This news follows the recent opening of Swiss luxury technical watchmakers, Breitling, at St. David's, as

well as the openings of ZARA and global cosmetics leaders, Morphe, bolstering the destination's line up of international retail names.

JLL and Cushman & Wakefield advised the St David's Partnership, whilst Laings managed the expansion

direct.

Ends

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About St David's Cardiff

St David's shopping centre provides over 1.4 million sq ft of retail and leisure space and over 180 stores. Since opening its doors in 2009, it has put Cardiff firmly on the map as one of the UK's best shopping cities.  

St David's has secured a continuous stream of high calibre retailer and restaurant openings over the past five years, including many brands that have made their debut or introduced new concept stores into Wales. Recent brands also include Bershka and Slim Chickens.

St David's is anchored by Marks & Spencer, and the largest John Lewis outside of London.  The centre is also home to a mix of national and international retailers, such as Primark and River Island, in addition to premium brands and independents.  These include Hugo Boss, Vivienne Westwood and Jo Malone.  The dining offer at St David's is equally impressive, with brands such as The Ivy, Wahaca and Wagamama.

www.stdavidscardiff.com

About Landsec

At Landsec, we build and invest in buildings, spaces and partnerships to create sustainable places, connect communities and realise potential. We are one of the largest real estate companies in Europe, with a £10.8 billion portfolio of retail, leisure, workspace and residential hubs. Landsec is shaping a better future by leading our industry on environmental and social sustainability while delivering value for our shareholders, great experiences for our guests and positive change for our communities.

About Laings

Laings is a prestigious family-run jewellers with over 180 years of history. Established in 1840 and now in the hands of the sixth generation of the Laing family, Laings is one of the largest independent jewellery businesses in the UK.

With six showrooms across Glasgow, Edinburgh, Southampton and Cardiff, Laings offers an expertly curated selection of fine jewellery and luxury watches from some of the world's most prestigious brands, including Rolex and Patek Philippe. It is also renowned for its bespoke design and repair services by the team's master watchmakers, goldsmiths and jewellery designers.

In 2000, Laings purchased Parkhouse & Wyatt in Cardiff, enabling the company to expand its offering to a Welsh clientele. When relocating to the sensational new St David's centre in 2009, Laings took the opportunity to bring the business into the Laings family brand, reopening as Laings Cardiff, offering a truly luxurious customer experience in a spectacular location.

Visit Laings' Cardiff showroom today to discuss your enquiries with the expert team or browse its unparalleled collection of exquisite engagement rings, fine jewellery and luxury timepieces online at www.LaingsUK.com.

Laings Cardiff Jewellery and Watch Shop, St David's, 27 The Hayes, Cardiff, CF10 1GA