Bristol commercial property agency Williams Gunter Hardwick has been retained by specialist retailer Calendar Club to help it find more than 100 temporary outlets across the country in run-up to Christmas.
The Calendar Club celebrates 20 years on the high street this year during which it has grown into the UK’s largest retailer of calendars and the biggest and most successful temporary store occupier. 
In total it is searching for more than 250 short-term mall kiosks and shop units across England, Scotland and Wales for the all-important festive trading period.
The units will typically be around 800-1,000 sq ft (75-100 sq m), although other sized units will be considered.
Williams Gunter Hardwick is scouring the South, West, East, Midlands and Wales for the Exeter-based retailer while an agency in Leeds is looking for potential sites across the North and Scotland.
Williams Gunter Hardwick associate director Steve Cullis, pictured, said the move would come as good news for many landlords hit by the large number of high-profile retail casualties on the high street over the past year.
“We know that Calendar Club adds a healthy element to many shopping centres as their units are well fitted and drive footfall in the lead up to Christmas,” he said.
“But equally importantly, they occupy what would otherwise be empty units and offer a range of products that complement rather than rival other occupiers.”
Calendar Club director David Pike added: “We are proud to be entering our 20th anniversary year on the high street. Having been highly successful in securing mall kiosks to date this season, we are now targeting fewer shop units than last year.
“It is vital in these more difficult times that we maintain the health of Calendar Club as a business – the challenge of declining footfall in shopping centres and high streets and the subsequent tougher trading conditions, mean that we need to be very particular about where we take space.
“Concentrating on bringing our occupancy costs down from the level of recent years, will enable us to continue to be a successful retail business and reliable tenant for the next 20 years.”
The Calendar Club sells more than 4m calendars a year along with a range of diaries, family planners and other gifts. While an increasing amount of its business is online, its temporary stores space in shopping centres and on high streets are still an important part of the business.
