Evolve Estates buys Jarrow shopping centre

Part of family-owned investor M Core, Evolve Estates has acquired the Viking Centre from a private landlord for an undisclosed sum.

The Viking Centre has more than 60 stores occupying over 175,000 sq ft of retail space and 400 car parking spaces. The centre is anchored by national brands including Boots, Peacocks, B&M and Poundland.

Danny O’Keefe, founding partner of Evolve Estates, said the deal was part of his strategy of targeting shopping centres, parades and malls, including out-of-town centres.

“This deal marks Evolve Estates’ expansion into the North East market and demonstrates our commitment to supporting local communities and businesses.

“We have long maintained that the retail sector is a strong market for investing, providing excellent opportunities for us to add significant value that benefit the tenants and the local community, as well as ensuring a good return on our investment.

“We’ve a significant pipeline of retail acquisitions for the rest of 2023 and expect to complete more than £300m worth by the end of the year. Part of our strength is our healthy cash reserves, which mean we can complete a deal quickly when we need to.”

M Core has invested more than £160m over 12 months in 25 retail centres. Major acquisitions include M Park Alexandra in Lincolnshire, Weavers Wharf in Kidderminster, and M Park Ocean Plaza and Central 12 in Southport.

Evolve’s solicitor was Clarke Willmott and the agent was Prime Retail. Jackson Criss acted as agent for the vendor. The solicitor for the vendor was CMS.