Vabeld, through an newly founded subsidiary CGRI (Commercial Ground Rent Investments) Ltd, has acquired a hotel in Ashford, Kent, operated under the Hampton by Hilton brand. The hotel has 140 rooms and is located opposite Ashord International Train Station and walking distance from the Ashord Designer Outlet. The property is leased for an unbreakabe term of 172 years remaining.

CGRI has been founded to look for more opportunities in commercial ground rent investments throughout the UK as well as in the EU and is welcoming such opportunities.

Further acquisitions in Belgium.

After some large acquisitions before the summer, Vabeld has remained active on the buy side of the market, both on the high street and in out of-town locations.

In Bruges, it acquired one of the most prominent properties on the Steenstraat, let to Nike.

The 440 square meter property has an impressive front of more than 15 meters wide.

In Brussels, Vabeld acquired a former BNP agency on the corner of blvd Jamar and blvd Poincaré near the Brussels Midi train station.

We intend to convert the use of this property to a fast food restaurant.

Finally, a sale and leaseback was concluded with C&A in Halle on a small retail park where Vabeld already rents to Gamma and Chausséa.

This completes Vabeld’s holdings on this small retail park.

Vabeld was able to add two exceptional assets to its Belgian portfolio recently.

In Ghent, Vabeld acquired the retail properties and surrounding parking spaces in the Planet Group Arena (formaly known as the Ghelamco Arena). The sale was structured through a share deal, Ghelamco being the seller.

Anchor tenant is the Albert Heijn supermarket with it’s 2.500 sqm surface. Other tenants on site are (among others) Runners Lab, Golazo, Lucien Bikes, …

In Antwerp, Vabeld bought the iconic corner building at the Leysstraat 27, the former Grand Hôtel Métropole, on the corner with the Teniersplaats.

The retail floors are let to the Bestseller format Only. The upper floors consist of appartments and offices.

Both acquisitions confirm Vabeld’s continued ambition to acquire properties on the very best prime locations, both in out of town retail, as in city centers.

Much earlier than anticipated, Vabeld has sold its German asset in Wittlich.

For a while, a neighbouring and very large multinational company had shown very strong interest in acquiring the site for strategic reasons.

As the tenant in the property was struggling and finally filed for insolvency, Vabeld accepted their offer to buy, which constitutes a win-win for both parties.