Westfield owner URW launches competition for free retail space in UK

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield has announced the international expansion of its "Westfield Grand Prix", a competition for sustainable businesses to win a free retail space.

The competition is set-up to help entrepreneurs open their first stores. It forms part of Westfield’s broader support for small and local businesses, allowing URW to bring new concepts to consumers.

The initiative is open to sustainable concepts and start-ups across retail, leisure, dining, entertainment, health and wellbeing, and services, whose solutions facilitate more responsible consumption and sustainable living.

In each region, winners will be selected by a panel of experts, with one chosen by the public through votes cast by visitors to Westfield centres.

Following a selection process, the winners will receive a lease of up to one year, free of charge, in a Westfield centre.

Winners will also have access to tailored support from URW and a dedicated advertising plan developed by retail media agency Westfield Rise.

Anne-Sophie Sancerre, Chief Customer & Retail Officer at URW, said: “The new edition of the Westfield Grand Prix is a key initiative in our ambition to support the development of the future of sustainable retail.

"We want to create a platform to highlight sustainable concepts, an ambition we share with our customers – 80% of whom tell us that sustainability plays a key role in their purchasing decisions.

"The competition will enable us to find new, talented entrepreneurs and facilitate their success through the strength of the Westfield centres and through access to the millions of visitors who come through our doors.”

Applications for the Westfield Grand Prix are open until 30 June 2023, with the initiative available in the UK, France, Spain, Germany and Austria.