Edge and Mitsubishi Estate have secured a touring exhibition dedicated to authentic Banksy artworks as the tenant for a prime retail space on Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2.
The exhibition, called “The Art of Banksy”, will move into 14,000 sq ft at 125 Shaftesbury Avenue on a short-term lease.
Edge and Mitsubishi Estate London acquired the 180,000 sq ft office building, which has retail at ground level, for £150m in December last year. The 1980s-built property presents a major redevelopment opportunity.
The 1.2-acre freehold site was previously occupied by WeWork. The troubled flex office provider returned the premises back to its owners last year after Meta cancelled its sublease.
Visited by more than one million people worldwide in cities including Melbourne and Chicago, The Art of Banksy made its home in London in 2021. More than 150 Banksy pieces are shown, including “Girl with a Balloon” and “Rude Copper”.
Fons van Dorst, executive managing director UK at Edge, said: “Having just acquired the site in the last quarter, it is clear that it is a sought-after building in a prime London location, fit for a globally renowned exhibition. This development is Edge’s third London asset and the latest example of our commitment to creating inspiring spaces that people want to visit and work in.”
Michel Boersma, chief executive at GTP Exhibitions and curator of The Art of Banksy, said: “After our initial successful London runs in Covent Garden and Regent Street, we were looking for a building in the West End with high footfall, great ground floor presence, and enough space to house our exhibition, retail and new coffeeshop. What could be a better location for a Banksy exhibition than London’s very own bohemian hub, Soho?”
Savills and Kenningham Retail advised on the deal.
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