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Retail & Leisure

We are a cross department team which enables us to provide expertise and advice to our clients across all disciplines.

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We have established client relationships with many major retailers, including Co-operative Group, Hobbycraft, along with garden centre operators Hillier Nurseries and Haskins Garden Centres and Halo Accident Repair Centre Limited.

On the Leisure side, we act for national holiday park operators, including Bourne Leisure Limited (Haven & Warner Hotels) and Butlins, and for the Gym Group.

The Team also supports the UK wine industry through Wine GB and has wide range of experience dealing with restaurants (Angelina London, and Stein Trading) public houses, hotels, cafes and hot food delivery companies (including acting for a number of franchisees for Domino’s), ports & marinas and Hampshire Sport & Leisure Holdings Limited.

Areas of Expertise

Our work and experience in the sector include:

  • acquisitions and disposals of new and trading entities to include both asset and share transactions;
  • acquisitions and disposals of freehold and leasehold properties including negotiations of new leases;
  • portfolio purchases and disposals on a pure property basis as well as corporate transactions;
  • development agreements and conditional contracts (commercial, mixed use and residential);
  • options, promotion agreements, and overage;
  • estate management and all aspects of landlord and tenant work including lease renewals pursuant to the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954;
  • planning and construction;
  • property dispute resolution;
  • support and protection of branding and advising on intellectual property issues;
  • commercial contracts and advice;
  • commercial dispute resolution;
  • licensing;
  • health & safety and regulatory issues; and
  • franchising.

Due to the Team’s experience, responsiveness and ability to adapt to each client’s requirements, it also means we benefit from referrals and recommendations from surveyors, agents other professionals within as well as existing clients in the Retail and Leisure Industry.

How we work with you

Whilst based in the South of England, Paris Smith acts for businesses and families throughout the UK. Technology has enabled us to provide a high level of service to our clients whether they are local to our offices or not. Our advice can be given in many ways:

Over the telephone
Via video conferencing
In face to face meetings

We will talk through how you would like to be contacted and the best ways for us to meet in our early conversations with you.

Get in touch to speak with an expert.

Chambers Alternative 500

Introducing your key contacts

How we’ve helped our clients

I have engaged Rachel Saint and her team for the past eight years and find them one of the best property lawyers I’ve used. Rachel Saint and her team are all very knowledgeable, efficient and professional and a real pleasure to work with. I mostly deal with Rachel, Hannah Winchester, Claire Long, Lisa Sherman and Janay Jones, all of whom I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending.

Andrew Moulden, Property Director
Hobbycraft

Sources say “Paris Smith provides good, sound market-backed advice and understands commercial drivers of the client’s business;” and “Paris Smith offers a multidisciplinary approach with high-quality approachable partners and associates.”

Chambers Legal Directory 2025

Rachel Saint provides a very high level of service which is commercial and client-focused.

Acquisitions & Development Manager
Co-operative Group

Rachel is an intelligent and commercial professional whose enthusiasm and dedication shines through everything she does. She is responsive and knowledgeable and the interest she shows in her work and her clients, ensures her clients’ confidence and assists her clients achieving their goals.

Paul Matton, Commercial Real Estate Director, Chartered Surveyor, NED, RICS Assessor, Coach & Mentor
Business Owner

Rachel and her team continually deliver and have the expertise and professionalism to meet all of our requirements.

Rona Kelly, Head of Estates
The Gym Group

Hannah and I have worked together on many commercial lease agreements for retail schemes across the UK. Hannah has provided expert advice on each project in a timely manor, negotiating commercial lease contracts on my behalf with the Coops best interests in mind. Hannah is genuinely enjoyable to work with. She is expert at explaining matters plainly and concisely and is clearly super organised and thoroughly informed on every project she works on. Over the years of working together we have built a great rapport and a working relationship that means I never hesitate to contact Hannah no matter what the query is. I would absolutely recommend Hannah and look forward to working with her on many more projects in the future.

Emma Perrin – Co-Op
Co-Op

I would highly recommend working with the commercial property team at Paris Smith. Over the course of the last 5 years the client care provided by Hannah Winchester has been exceptional with numerous complex transactions being dealt with in a pragmatic and efficient manner. Hannah is always available to provide timely advice on a multitude of legal queries and it is a pleasure to work with her and the team.

John Hillman, Regional Acquisitions Manager – Co-Operative Group

I have worked closely with the Paris Smith team for a number of years on a range of property issues and have found them to be responsive, knowledgeable and excellent value for money. Their experience is evident in the professional manner they adopt and the outcomes achieved. They are very personable and their interest in both work and personal well being has earned my trust over numerous years.

Darren Nelson-Hall, Head of Estates
Co-Operative Group

Claire Long and Rachel Saint are both extremely personable and dedicated to providing a bespoke service.

Legal 500 2025 Edition – Client Testimonials

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