West End landlord Shaftesbury banking on a summer revival after its £338m loss over winter lockdown
West End landlord Shaftesbury s rental income slipped for the period, which included the usually bustling Christmas trading in central London. In 2020/2021 the same streets were deserted. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
West End landlord Shaftesbury, whose estate covers Seven Dials and Chinatown among other touirst favourites, is hoping for a strong rebound this summer as it emerges from the UK’s lockdown that left its streets deserted.
Shaftesbury collected £48.9m in rents from central London tenants in the six months to 31 March 2021. Exclusing lease incentives it was just £33m.
25 May 2021 | 07:11am
StockMarketWire.com - London West End property group Shaftesbury booked a deeper first-half loss after the pandemic hurt footfall at retail outlets, squeezing rental income.
Pre-tax losses for the six months through March amounted to £338.5 million, compared to year-on-year losses of £287.6 million, and included negative property revaluations of £342.6 million.
Rental income fell 19% to £48.9 million amid occupier support, reduced rent collections and increased vacancy.
EPRA earnings, an underlying measure watched by analysts, slumped 92% to £2.1 million.
Shaftesbury declared an interim dividend of 2.4p per share, compared to no payment year-on-year.
The company said a phased lifting of Covid-19 restrictions was already resulting in a return of confidence and activity as more-normal patterns of life resume.
Last modified on Tue 25 May 2021 03.46 EDT
The West End landlord Shaftesbury has reported a wider first-half loss but is hopeful that a recovery in central London is under way, with its vacancy rate improving.
The company, which owns 600 buildings in Carnaby, Seven Dials and Chinatown, and also parts of Covent Garden, Soho and Fitzrovia in the heart of the capital, said its pretax loss widened to £339m in the six months to 31 March from £288m a year earlier, as rental income declined by a fifth to £49m.
With central London emptied of shoppers and tourists during successive Covid-19 lockdowns, Shaftesbury collected only 43% of rent due from its retail, restaurant, bar and office tenants. It raised £307m from shareholders in November to get through the crisis.
Leasing activity has recovered to close to pre-pandemic levels Shafesbury is based around Chinatown and the West End
Shaftesbury PLC (LON:SHB) said it was seeing an encouraging increase in demand for space and lettings in London’s West End since shops started to reopen on 12 April.
Leasing activity over the six months to 31 March 2021 recovered to close to the level seen in the first half of last year, which was largely unaffected by the pandemic, the property owner said in a statement alongside its interim results.
First-half results reflected the problems caused by the pandemic with losses rising to £338.5mln (£287.6mln) following a £342.6mln property value writedown.