Hunter Real Estate Investment Management has raised 拢64m (鈧�86.7m) for a UK high street retail core-plus, value-add strategy.
鈥� Real Estate Multi Manager (REMM) backed the fund, which will invest in small, high street units across the UK.
Alistair Dryer, senior fund manager at Aviva Investors REMM, said now was an 鈥渙pportune point鈥� for clients in the investment cycle.
The new Hunter UK Retail Trust fund will be leveraged at around 30% and aim for around 10% returns.
Assets will be bought for the fund over the next 18 months, according to Mark Hunter鈥�, founder of the manager.
Three deals in UK town centres are currently being finalised.
鈥淭he UK high street has undergone a dramatic revolution in recent years,鈥� he told IP Real Estate.
鈥淭he outlook is now clearer, and there are certainly pockets of growth now 鈥� particularly in affluent towns and cities.
鈥淭he high street continues to offer opportunities for consistent returns in certain pockets around the UK.鈥�
Hunter said the UK was reaching a point where the effects of online shopping were more clearly understood.鈥�
The new vehicle is a鈥� 鈥渟on of鈥� fund following the company鈥檚 first vehicle, the Retail Plus Property Trust, a joint Hunter/ fund, which has now closed, having invested 拢130m.
Aviva also backed that fund.
Hunter has in the past worked with Oaktree Capital Management and Canada鈥檚 Alberta Investment Management, according to media reports.
