M&B lines up two Harvester retail park openings

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) is to unveil its first two retail park locations for Harvester, its mid-market family dining brand, this November — in Bristol and Staines.

The group has signed leases on existing retail units at the Willowbrook Retail Park in Bristol and the Two Rivers Retail Park in Staines.

Construction is under way at both locations, with Bristol set to open its doors slightly ahead of Staines.

The two new openings come as M&B attempts to stretch Harvester's legs by taking it into retail, leisure and even high street locations — a departure from its traditional suburban heartland.

The group recently opened two new Harvesters in leisure locations — at Port Solent on the outskirts of Portsmouth and at Brayford Wharf in Lincoln.

At Willowbrook Retail Park in Bristol, the new Harvester will trade alongside Costa, Subway and Tesco while at Staines it will take its place next to Frankie & Benny's, Nando's, Vue Cinema and Waitrose.

M&B said that it was "very active in this area and making good progress". It is thought to have secured 10 such properties in its pipeline for conversion to its various pub-restaurant brands.

The group also operates a Harvester in one travel location — the Amesbury Archer at Solstice Park — a business park next to the A303 in Wiltshire, a few miles east of Stonehenge.