Leading investment owner, developer and operator of Motorway Service Areas, Extra MSA Group, has today provided a preliminary announcement for its ‘brand line’ up of tenant operating partners, as to be represented under the Extra ‘umbrella brand’ at its £60m ‘new concept’ M1 J45 Leeds Skelton Lake Motorway Service Area (MSA) development. All construction works are progressing well on-site for the targeted August 2019 opening date.
The highly anticipated new MSA development will include the opening of a 100 bedroom Ramada Hotel, as linked to a spacious and attractive Food Court Building, within which there will be a full range of popular food & beverage and ancillary retail ‘brands’, together with a Regus Business Centre.
The range of different sized Units and Kiosks will accommodate ‘brands’ including Starbucks, LEON, Burger King, KFC, Upper Crust, Harry Ramsden’s, Pizza Express, Chopstix, Mi Casa, The Pasty Shop and Urban Express, together with other ‘brands’ as shortly to be announced.
The exciting complementary mix of ‘brands’ has been carefully selected by Extra to offer a wide variety to meet all customer requirements and preferences, as well as achieving high operating standards. There will also be additional Family Restaurant facilities, together with other attractive ancillary retail ‘brands’. The Leisure and Gaming facilities will be operated by Playnation, an established tenant operating partner at other Extra ‘umbrella branded’ MSA locations.
The attractively designed heart of the Food Court Building will comprise a comfortable and efficient Seating Area, beneath the impressive and undulating contemporary style glulam timber roof structure and will also include extensive natural lighting. Within respective food & beverage Units, there will also be designated Customer Seating to complement the shared Central Seating Area, together with a direct link to the Ramada Hotel. At upper floor levels within the overall Atrium style building there will be the Regus Business Centre and a Nature Park Visitor Centre, inclusive of a Viewing Deck facility overlooking Skelton Lake. There will also be high quality Customer Washroom and WC facilities to enhance the overall customer experience.
The Food Court offering will be complemented by an innovative new and well considered ancillary retail ‘brand’, Urban Express. The first Urban Express, developed and operated by SSP, successfully opened at London Bridge Station in May and is primarily a food & beverages ‘to go’ in conjunction with newspapers, magazines and confectionery, along with quality concessionary brands that include COOK ‘take home’ frozen meals and Foyles bookshop.
Extra MSA Group and SSP have formed a new strategic relationship, as complementary to Extra’s established tenant operating partner relationships with other major companies such as Welcome Break and Playnation. SSP have ‘contracted’ for a number of Leases, to operate ‘brands’ that include Starbucks, LEON, Upper Crust and Burger King.
Simon Smith, CEO of SSP UK & Ireland, said:
“We’re delighted to be working jointly with Extra MSA Group to bring a fantastic portfolio of brands to the new Leeds Skelton Lake MSA Food Court Building. There will truly be something for everyone, and we look forward to the Summer 2019 opening date.”
The Ramada Hotel will offer a 24-hour reception, free Wi-Fi, Licensed Bar and inhouse Restaurant & Breakfast facilities, together with a Gym and free parking. Each Bedroom will be fully air-conditioned and fitted with a flat-screen TV, all to a high standard inclusive of en suite bath/shower room facilities. There will also be a 24-hour Fuel Filling Station, nationally ‘branded’ and providing a full range of traditional fuels on separate Main and HGV Forecourts, together with an ancillary Shop & Bakery. There will also be complementary Electric Vehicle Charging Station facilities, inclusive of 350KW High Powered Chargers.
Andrew Long, CEO of Extra MSA Group, said:
“Existing Extra ‘umbrella branded’ MSAs across the UK already feature leading ‘brands’ and this range is being further enhanced for Leeds Skelton Lake Services. We are pleased that this includes brands such as Pizza Express, LEON and Urban Express, in addition to those which are represented at our other MSA locations and also the 100 Bedroom Ramada Hotel.
“With less than a year to go until the opening date, it is good to see substantial progress being made on site by our Contractors Henry Boot and Morgan Sindall. We look forward to working with our carefully selected ‘brand line up’ and the respective associated tenant operating partners.”
Chartered Surveyors and specialist travel sector agents GCL have worked closely with Extra to assist with respective letting transactions and for the legal work on all property and construction matters, Shoosmiths of Leeds have represented Extra MSA Group. GCL and Shoosmiths continue to work with Extra on finalising the remaining letting transactions.
In addition to the primary purpose of improving Road Safety for this section of the Motorway Network, Leeds Skelton Lake MSA will also bring significant benefits to the local economy and communities, making a major contribution towards the long-term future economic growth within East Leeds and the wider City Region.
Leeds Skelton Lake Services will create around 400 job opportunities during the construction phase and approximately 300 full-time equivalent permanent new jobs when the MSA is operational, many with flexible working shifts. Together with the carefully selected tenant operating partners, Extra MSA Group is committed to ensuring that it also maximises the optimum level of Apprenticeship and Employment opportunities arising from this £60m inward investment.
