Retail Property Occupiers

Our retail property lawyers support many of the UK’s largest retailers across their property portfolios.

Property Week Commercial Property Awards winner poster in purple and gold, featuring 'Outstanding Legal Team of the Year' text and event details.

Your stores support the wider commercial strategy of your business. You may need to secure prime space quickly, roll-out to new locations, relocate or resize existing stores, invest in fit-outs or exit sites that no longer meet your needs.

Our specialist team advises on acquisitions, new leases, renewals, relocations, regears, fit-outs, portfolio management, disputes and disposals, working as an extension of your in-house legal, property and estates teams.

Our knowledge of the retail market enables us to anticipate the issues that matter to our occupier clients, find practical solutions to the issues that you encounter and help stores to open and trade on schedule.

We work across asset types including high street stores, shopping centre units, retail parks, convenience stores and standalone locations.

We’re trusted to manage the property portfolios of many household names, including Arnold Clark, Beaverbrooks, DFS, Mamas & Papas, Morrisons, Primark, TJ Morris (Home Bargains), Regatta and Well Pharmacy.

We tailor our service around how your estate team works, providing:

A core relationship team that understands your portfolio and requirements.
The appropriate level of lawyer for each instruction, supported by experienced partner oversight and supervision.
Clear matter tracking and reporting, tailored to your requirements.
Templates, playbooks and agreed drafting positions for repeat instructions.

Talk to us today by calling 0333 004 4488, emailing hello@brabners.com or sending us a message.

“Brabners has proven to be an incredible fit for our business. This has gone beyond the traditional client relationship to quickly becoming a true partnership. Having a consistent, dedicated team that recognises our needs has accelerated the understanding and trust between us... Always available, super responsive, with our best interests at the centre of everything they do. I can't speak highly enough of Brabners and the added value [the team] brings to our business.”
Property & Facilities Manager, Beaverbrooks

“Brabners’ retail team truly understands the complex retail landscape. We have worked closely together on Primark’s ongoing significant investments in new and existing UK stores. Highly responsive and commercially minded, Brabners helps us to find solutions and achieve our aims.”
Head of Property Asset Management, Primark

“Helena Davies — exceptional knowledge and extremely practical in applying it to get the best for her clients.”
Client feedback, Legal 500, 2026

“Approachable and easy to talk to with fantastic technical ability and commercial realism. Helena Davies takes in a keen interest in our business and seeks to understand our commercial considerations that could inform a choice of approach.”
Client feedback, The Legal 500

Trusted by

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How we work with retail occupiers: growing your estate & portfolio management

Growing your retail estate

We support you every step of the way with your store rollout strategy, including advising on:

Heads of terms, exclusivity and early-stage site advice.
Agreements for lease, new leases and freehold acquisitions.
Property due diligence.
Portfolio acquisitions and corporate support.
Store development, including building contracts, professional appointments and warranties.
Wayleaves and utilities for new stores.
Opening date dependencies, advice on longstop dates and delay risk.

Day-to-day portfolio management

Our lawyers regularly advise across the full spectrum of retailer portfolio management, including:

Licences to assign, underlet, charge and share occupation.
Licences to alter and fit out approvals.
Wayleaves, telecoms and utilities.
ANPR arrangements.
Lease interpretation and portfolio queries.
Documenting rent reviews.
Lease variations and personal concessions.
Advice on estate management regulations and centre rules.
Preparation of precedent documents.
Maintaining trackers and agreed processes for portfolio management.

How we work with retail occupiers: disputes, exits & sustainability

Disputes & trading continuity

Our property dispute lawyers are on-hand to assist with practical advice and support, including on:

Lease renewal disputes.
Service charge and rent disputes.
Break option compliance.
Dilapidations and reinstatement.
Service charge disputes.
Keep-open and trading issues.
Neighbouring owner disputes.
Urgent injunctions where occupation or trading are at risk.
Mediation and negotiated settlement.

Exits, closures & restructuring

We support you when it’s time to restructure your estate, including:

Exercising break rights.
Negotiated surrenders.
Assignments and underlettings.
Sale and leasebacks.
Portfolio rationalisation and closure programmes.
Property work connected with restructurings, CVAs or restructuring plans.

Sustainability & future proofing

We have vast experience in helping retailers to improve their sustainability, including via:

Green lease provisions and sustainability data sharing.
Energy efficiency requirements and improvement works.
EV charging, solar PV and other renewable energy arrangements.
Environmental due diligence.
Advice on minimum energy efficiency standards.
Horizon scanning and advice on upcoming regulations.

Recognised by

Our experience includes

Pavers Shoes

Advising longstanding client Pavers Shoes, including supporting new lettings at McArthurGlen York Designer Outlet and Cotswold Designer Outlet, alongside lease renewals and wider portfolio support.

Primark

Supporting Primark with new stores in Tunbridge Wells, High Wycombe and Bolton town centre.

Household-name retailers

Advising various household-name retailers (including Morrisons, Home Bargains, Beaverbrooks, Well Pharmacy, Arnold Clark and Pavers Shoes) on acquisitions, renewals, estate management and property disputes.

Specialist lawyers for retail property occupiers

Helena Davies leads our retail sector team and advises occupiers on the full range of contentious property issues. Her focus is on finding commercial solutions to property problems, including landlord and tenant disputes, lease renewals and issues that arise as retailers manage and reshape their estates.

Matt Ramsden works closely with retailers, leisure and hospitality businesses and other corporate occupiers on their property requirements. He also advises on ESG-related property issues, including energy-efficiency requirements and green lease drafting, helping occupiers manage both their immediate property needs and the longer-term sustainability of their estates.

Susan Samuel advises global brands, corporates and operators on real estate investment, development, operations and asset management, with a particular focus on site acquisitions and leasing. Her experience in managing substantial property portfolios makes her well placed to support retailers with both individual transactions and wider estate requirements.

Get in touch

Retail articles & insights

9 September 2026

Holiday law changes from 2026 — what employers need to know & do

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We explore what the new record-keeping requirements mean for employers, the risks of non-compliance and steps that organisations should take now.

11 August 2026

Beyond zero & low hours contracts — how can hospitality work remain flexible?

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The Government's 'ending one-sided flexibility' consultation signals significant change for hospitality employers. We explore what employers need to know.

3 August 2026

M&A in fashion & beauty — how the EU’s crackdown on burning stock is reshaping deals

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We explore the ESPR’s implications for M&A and outline what businesses should be doing in response.

27 July 2026

Franchise agreements — key considerations for franchisors & franchisees

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We outline some of the key commercial and legal considerations for parties considering a franchise arrangement.

17 July 2026

Franchise agreements under scrutiny — what franchisors need to know about the Vodafone case

We examine the issues at the heart of the claim and outline what the decision could mean for franchise businesses.

25 June 2026

Inside Beauty Bay’s administration — what happened & key takeaways for retailers

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We outline the pivotal role of the NOI in Beauty Bay’s administration and break down the key takeaways for retailers.

22 June 2026

Deposit return schemes — what retailers need to know by 2027

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We explore the key changes and outline the practical steps that retailers need to take ahead of 2027.

15 June 2026

F1 Academy — how the inclusion‑led model is redefining motorsport partnership

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We explore how commercial partnerships in motorsport are evolving and outline the practical considerations for sponsors and rights holders.

12 June 2026

Manifesting a growth economy — insights from True North Live

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True North co-chair Michael Hayman breaks down how mood, behaviour and local leadership are influencing the economy.

11 June 2026

HFSS advertising & promotion — what retailers need to know in 2026

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We explore what the HFSS regime means in practice, break down how the ASA is applying the rules and outlines the steps that retailers should take now.

5 June 2026