Airport retail job for Design House

Design House has been handed a ‘substantial’ six-figure project to brand and design duty free shops at Manchester Airport’s two new terminals, in conjunction with airport services supplier Alpha Retail.

The work is part of the overhaul of the retail and catering facilities at the airport’s Terminals 2 and 3, which is due to be completed by Easter 2002.

Design House has been briefed initially to create interiors, signage, point-of-sale and merchandising units for the new-build tax-free shops that will be run by Alpha Retail. It will also be creating retail signage for the two terminals.

Its work may include creating Alpha brand identities for the two outlets, but that has yet to be decided, says Alpha Travel Value and Retail Catering managing director David King.

The consultancy’s work could also extend to the creation of an Alpha bar in Terminal 3 to complement the retail outlets designed by the consultancy. But that has yet to be confirmed with Manchester Airport, adds King.

‘We’d like to control more of the airport environment, but the project is at early stages,’ he says.

Design House was approached by Alpha to work on its pitch for the work, on the strength of previous work together. It undertook creative work and market research. ‘[Design House’s] brief is now to bring the tender alive,’ says King. ‘We helped Alpha develop its strategy to manage all retail and catering at the airport,’ says a Design House spokeswoman.

Design House and Alpha won the work after a two-way pitch against incumbent operator Nuance Global Traders.

Alpha Airports Group encompasses retailing and catering both at airports and on-board airlines. It operates more than 80 shopping outlets at 24 locations in the UK, the US, the Caribbean and India.

Design House is increasing its senior management team as part of an ‘aggressive business development programme’, according to managing director Lavinia Culverhouse.

The move includes the appointment last month of Richard Savage as brand development director and Tim Webb-Jenkins in May as creative director of corporate communications (DW 17 May).