The retail arm of London landmark the Royal Exchange has been put up for sale four years after it last changed hands.
US owner The Ardent Companies has hired agents to sell the near 51,000sq ft high-end retail and dining space that spans the lower ground, ground floor, mezzanine and terraces, surrounding a historic covered courtyard.
Ardent bought the space – the only luxury shopping centre in the City of London – for close to £50 million from Oxford Properties in 2022.
It houses luxury brands including Hermes, Tiffany & Co, Boodles, Montblanc, Omega and Georg Jensen.
Ardent declined to disclose the sale price.
The Royal Exchange has a history dating back to 1571, having been destroyed twice in fires – firstly the Great Fire of London in 1666 – with the current building opened by Queen Victoria in 1844.
It is where royal proclamations take place in the City of London, including announcements of the death of a monarch and the crowning of a new monarch, such as that of the King in 2022.
The site has also been home to both the Lloyds insurance market and the London International Financial Futures Exchange over the years.
Under Ardent’s ownership, the site saw visitor numbers increase 12% last year and is the floor space is now 99% occupied by retail and restaurants and bars.
Fortnum’s Bar and Restaurant opened a new terrace, alongside bar Engle by renowned restaurateur Des Gunewardena, at the front of the building in spring last year.
