Can We Make This Work?
Reinventing the Belvoir Retail Village
There are moments in life when you either step forward… or step aside.
This is one of them.
As many of you know, we have just unveiled our plans for the Engine Yard — which has been reimagined as the Belvoir Retail Village. It feels bold. It feels slightly audacious. And, if I am honest, it feels just a little bit daunting.
So the question I keep asking myself is: can we make this work?
At present, our wonderful Managing Director, Rachel, is away for sometime. And so, in true “needs must” fashion, I have stepped back in to steer the ship. Estates have a habit of demanding one’s full attention at the most unexpected moments, and Belvoir is no exception. I hadn’t quite anticipated returning to the role in this way — but here we are.
And perhaps… it is exactly the jolt of energy it needs.
A Village, Not Just a Collection of Shops
The Engine Yard has always been more than bricks and mortar. It was conceived as a place of
craftsmanship, creativity and community. But retail — as we all know — has changed dramatically.
Footfall alone is no longer enough. A pretty courtyard and lovely shops, however charming, cannot survive on good intentions.
So we are asking bigger questions.
What if it became a destination not just to shop, but to gather?
To celebrate?
To be entertained?
We are exploring plans to introduce a stage — a proper focal point for music, talks, performances and seasonal celebrations. I love the idea of a Speakers’ Market: thinkers, storytellers, historians, gardeners, adventurers — voices that inspire. Alongside that, vintage fairs, craft markets, artisan gatherings — moments that bring colour and movement into the village.
In short, we want to breathe life into our beloved retail village.
A Spark — and Yes, It Was My Idea
This year’s Chinese New Year celebration was, in fact, my idea.
I pushed for it. I wanted colour, movement, music — something joyful and unexpected in the depth of winter. It felt risky. It was certainly different from what we had done before.
But it worked. The atmosphere was electric. Families lingered. Children laughed. The courtyard felt alive in a way that reminded me exactly why we began this journey in the first place.
It taught me something important: when we dare to lead — rather than cautiously follow — people respond.
And so I am determined to become more hands-on, more imaginative, perhaps even more mischievous.
Why not St George’s Day festivities?
Why not St David’s Day celebrations?
Why not revive the spirit of pageant days — a touch of theatre, a nod to history, something
gloriously British and slightly eccentric?
And so I find myself wondering: what else have we been too polite to try?
Beyond Retail: A Place to Stay
And here is where the thinking becomes more ambitious.
We have beautiful Vale House sitting within the estate — elegant, underused potential. We are exploring cabins. Glamping. Thoughtful, beautifully designed places to stay that feel connected to the village and the wider Belvoir landscape.
What if a visit to the Retail Village wasn’t a few hours… but a weekend?
What if you arrived on Friday evening, wandered through a twilight market, stayed in a cabin overlooking the Vale, and woke to coffee and music in the courtyard?
Not a holiday park in the traditional sense — but that sense of anticipation. Of arrival. Of something happening.
Retail alone is fragile. But a destination — somewhere to stay, gather, celebrate and build community— that is resilient.
Reinvention Is Never Comfortable
Reinventing something is not tidy. It is not safe. It requires risk — and I am acutely aware of that.
We are custodians not just of buildings, but of livelihoods. Our tenants, our staff, our visitors — they all deserve something that works, something sustainable, something exciting enough to compete in an increasingly crowded world.
So yes, I am asking myself: Can we make this work?
But perhaps the better question is: Can we afford not to try?
Belvoir has stood for nearly a thousand years because it has adapted. It has rebuilt after fires. It hasweathered wars. It has transformed itself again and again.
Surely we can reinvent a retail village.
Come With Me
If I am honest, part of the reason I am writing this here — rather than issuing a neat little press release — is because I want you with me.
The Engine Yard is not just a project. It is a story unfolding in real time.
We have some extraordinary characters in our team — creative minds, practical magicians, tireless grafters, and the occasional visionary who sees things long before the rest of us do. Over the coming months, I would love to introduce you to them. The people who make the lights switch on, the markets appear, the ideas take shape. I will take you behind the scenes.
The difficult conversations.
The hopeful sketches.
The experiments that work — and the ones that do not.
Because if we are going to reinvent this properly, it should not be done in isolation.
I would value your thoughts. Your instincts. Your experiences of places that make you return again and again. What creates loyalty? What creates magic? What creates belonging?
Think of this as an invitation.
An invitation to walk the courtyard with me as we reshape it.
To challenge me.
To guide me.
To cheer us on when we are brave — and question us when we are not.
Belvoir has always been about continuity and change living side by side.
Now, as I step back into this role, I am choosing change.
And I would rather travel that road with you than without you.
Let’s see what we can build together