Vintage fashion store makes full house for revitalised Nottingham street

A vintage fashion retailer founded in Newcastle has added the final piece in the jigsaw to a property developer’s mission to transform Nottingham’s Bridlesmith Gate.

Garms has agreed terms to set up shop in the building formerly occupied by shoe retailer, Office in the city centre street.  

Bridlesmith Gate had suffered a similar fate to many UK high streets during the Covid-19 pandemic, with challenging circumstances causing a number of traders to go out of business.

Arran Bailey, managing director of Nottingham property developer ALB Group, set out to reverse the trend by buying up 11 properties there in late 2021 with a view to turning the area into Nottingham’s version of Carnaby Street.

By investing significantly in regenerating and repurposing this part of Bridlesmith Gate accompanied by being more open minded on flexible lease terms, he hoped to attract on trend independent and niche traders into the street.

Garms, which has other stores in Newcastle and Durham along with a successful online and wholesale business, has now taken a long term lease on the last remaining vacant property in Bridlesmith Gate, following the likes of international hairdressing firm Menspire, Fashion retailer Stick and Ribbon, Sneakervers, craft coffee shop BARiSTA and Pygott & Crone independent estate agents.  

Arran and his team, which includes Nottingham-based Box Property Consultants, also commissioned artists to liven up the now-bustling street with vibrant street murals. The developer is delighted that his vision has become a reality so quickly.

“We had ambition and vision and, with determination and hard work, we have succeeded in putting all the pieces together pretty rapidly,” said Arran. 

“Being from Nottingham, it gave me little joy to see a street like Bridlesmith Gate struggle like many other high streets have done recently. So, with a bit of out-of-the-box thinking, we made it our mission to turn its fortunes around. 

“We couldn’t be happier with how our vision has turned out. The arrival of Garms is the cherry on top of the cake.”

Arran added: “We’d like to thank Box Property Consultants for helping us turn this around, and we wish all of our tenants every future success.”

Frankie Labbate, director of Box Property Consultants, said he was delighted to have helped to complete the deal with the proprietors of Garms.

“Nottingham is a very popular vintage fashion city, so Garms will fit in extremely well. When the owners were searching for new retail space, they really liked Bridlesmith Gate because of what Arran had Achieved – and they loved the street art and vibrant atmosphere. 

“It’s a very positive result off the back of lots of innovation and hard work to have our final tenant on board – adding the final piece of the jigsaw. This part of Bridlesmith Gate had various vacant units when he acquired the units, but now it’s been repurposed and as a result revitalised with a new on trend independent mix of tenants and vibe.

“Arran has backed up the vision set out with significant capital investment in a timely but more importantly purposed manner and, with a combination of investment and a refreshing forward thinking approach to leasing the results are there for everyone to enjoy.”

Alongside the properties in Bridlesmith Gate, ALB Group has also purchased several other buildings in neighbouring Lister Gate and Low Pavement.  

Continuing the good news for the area, upmarket fragrance store Jo Malone, which occupies one of ALB’s units in Low Pavement, has recently agreed to extend its lease for five years.

To find out more about ALB Group, visit www.albgroup.co.uk.