Throughout the pandemic, our focus has been on supporting tenants, investing in the local community and drawing on our heritage to ensure the estate thrives.
Chelsea is renowned for being a leading art and design neighbourhood; and being surrounded by so much creativity, we have been keen to embrace the power of the arts to connect people.
In our experience, local art-focused activities facilitate partnerships between tenants and brands, create strong community connections and encourage footfall back to the destination. Collaboration is key and from international partnerships with the Pantone Color Institute and celebrated British artist Lois O’Hara to Sloane Stanley’s sponsorship of Chelsea Fire Station’s ever-changing murals (pictured), we have been keen to create a platform that celebrates design and creativity.
How people consume and interact with retailers has also evolved. We have noticed across the estate that the way brands are using their physical space is responding to reflect this and Covid-19. With increasingly tight restrictions in place, there is now a need more than ever for retailers to create exciting displays to showcase products and encourage visitors to feel inspired and spend safely. Specially curated windows and displays that utilise the arts can entice customers and create a stimulating experience in a safe, Covid-compliant manner.
The pandemic has highlighted the importance of communities coming together locally and we all need to view this as an opportunity to engage in meaningful connections, to invest in our communities and to embrace new ideas to reinvigorate retail.
Our approach to enhancing spaces is drawn from our heritage; so despite the pandemic, Chelsea is and will always be a place of innovative concepts, rich history and exciting installations, all woven together by the fabric of our local community.
Hannah Grievson is property director at Sloane Stanley
No comments yet