In response to the current market challenges faced by landlords and brands, We Are Pop Up, the specialist international booking platform for pop-up retail spaces, has transformed its business model into a free-to-use service, abolishing all transaction fees for listings.

C2H, the company that owns the Kara and Pietro Filipi fashion stores in the Czech Republic, has recently emptied its 58 stores in the country to prevent landlords it owes rent to from seizing its inventory as security for payments.

German group Metro intends to sell and lease back 9 of its stores in Romania to increase its competitiveness and efficiency and to improve liquidity for new investments and developments. The offer also includes 6 stores in Slovakia.

The stock of modern retail spaces in Romania has exceeded the level of 4 million square meters after the latest deliveries of shopping centres, but the market development pace will slow down in the next period, according to Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.

Mitiska REIM has secured a €33 million senior debt facility with Erste Group Bank AG for four Romanian retail parks, representing a combined gross leasable area (GLA) of 30,500 sqm.

The region’s largest shopping centre Galerija Belgrad will open on 30 October. With a total area of 300,000 sqm, Galerija Belgrade will offer local and international brands in one place, dozens of cafes and restaurants, two entertainment complexes, a cinema with the most advanced IMAX technology and as many as 3,600 parking places.

AFI Europe Romania has inaugurated its AFI Brasov mixed-use project on 21 October. The project, located near the city’s historic centre, includes a modern shopping centre with 45,000 sqm GLA and 15,000 sqm GLA of office space rising above the retail floors.

The share of internet sales has returned to near pre-pandemic levels. At the same time, Polish customers are more willing than before to turn to convenience shopping in smaller retail formats. JLL summarised conditions on Poland's retail market at the end of Q3 2020.

Trei Real Estate GmbH and JLL jointly published a new market report on retail parks and convenience centres in Poland, according to which the segment has followed an upward trend for years, and not even the coronavirus pandemic has impacted its performance. One of the reasons for this is that the stores located here often stock food and everyday products. Moreover, the retail units generally have their own entrances and are directly accessible from the parking lot. Shoppers appreciate this aspect because it makes it easier for them to minimise exposure.

Etele Plaza, developed by Futureal in Budapest’s Kelenföld area, has reportedly reached an occupancy rate over 75%. The shopping centre, planned to be completed by Q3 2021, will feature every Inditex brand available in Hungary, including a Zara fashion store featuring a brand new design concept.