The latest deals done in Derby

The letting of offices on Pride Park to a railway contracting services firm heads the list of deals done in Derby in recent weeks.

QTS Group, whose services include vegetation management, drainage services, fencing, civil engineering, electrification and specialist plant fleet hire, has taken offices at Brunel Business Park, on Pride Park.

The unit benefits from air conditioning, a prominent location in the heart of Pride Park and 14 on-site parking spaces.

Charlotte Steggles, director at NG Chartered Surveyors, which brokered the deal, said: “This letting reflects the continued strength of demand for well-located, high-quality office accommodation at Pride Park.

“Unit 31 offers excellent specification and parking provision, which proved attractive to QTS Group as they continue to grow their operations.

“We were pleased to secure a strong covenant for our private landlord client.”

In retail, there has been a flurry of new arrivals and openings announced at the Derbion shopping centre – particularly around its food and drink offer.

Rapidly expanding chicken wing eatery Wingstop UK officially opened its 1,700 sq ft store next to the Food Terrace earlier this month.

It serves signature wings, tenders and burgers, as well as seasoned fries, dips, milkshakes, freestyle drinks and churros.

Founded in 1994 in Texas, Wingstop quickly became one of the fastest-growing restaurant chains in the US before coming to the UK in 2018.

The opening marks Wingstop UK’s first location in Derby and joins Derbion’s line-up of over 30 eateries including Wagamama, Five Guys, Nando’s, Zizzi and BEAR.

Meanwhile, authentic Hawaiian food brand Moana Poke has opened for business on Level 1 of the centre.

Over the past six years, the Hawaiian-inspired brand has significantly grown its presence across Europe, and the new Derbion kiosk is its sixth eatery to open in the UK.

Finally, Derbion will be welcoming the arrival of international body care and home fragrance brand Bath & Body Works later this year.

Its new 1,425 sq ft store will be its first location in the East Midlands.

It will stock a wide range of luxurious fragrances, skincare products and home essentials.

Beth McDonald, managing director at Derbion, said: “We’re delighted that Bath & Body Works will be joining the centre and we’re incredibly proud to have been selected as its first location for a store in the East Midlands.

“The addition of Bath & Body Works, as well as the arrival of Primark and a raft of recent openings, demonstrates our ongoing commitment to delivering the very best retail and leisure experience for our shoppers.”

Jo Part, from Bath & Body Works, said: “Derbion’s place as the leading retail destination in the East Midlands makes it the perfect location for our first store in the region.

“We hope our unique offering will attract shoppers from far and wide as we continue to grow our presence across the UK.”

Finally, residential care home operator Godfrey Care has bought a prominent Derby City Council building, which was declared surplus to requirements.

Ashtree House was sold at auction for £920,000 – nearly double its original guide price – to Godfrey Care, which manages several residential homes across the region.

For many years, Ashtree House was a key site for the city council’s Children’s Services , serving as a dedicated hub for supervised family visits.

However, a fire at the neighbouring La Gondola site made the building unsafe for continued use.

Councillor Kathy Kozlowski, the city council’s cabinet member for governance and finance, said: “The decision to sell Ashtree House is part of our ongoing commitment to responsible asset management and achieving ‘best value’ for the people of Derby.

“Ashtree House has a long and proud history of service, but as our requirements for modern office and service space evolve, it is essential that we make the best use of our buildings and land.”