British Land has awarded OCS an extended and expanded soft services contract covering more than 50 sites across its UK retail park and shopping centre portfolio. The new agreement, which took effect on 1st April 2026, builds on an eight-year partnership between the two businesses.
OCS will continue to deliver soft services across British Land’s western portfolio and, for the first time, assume responsibility for the eastern portfolio as well, bringing both parts of the estate under a single, integrated soft services operation.
An Eight-Year Partnership, Now Extended
Three priorities shaped British Land’s decision to extend and widen the partnership: the strength of the relationship and the visibility of the OCS account management team, a people-centred approach to service delivery, and a shared focus on efficiency and value that aligns with OCS’s service commitments.
Around 600 OCS colleagues will work across the combined estate, with 350 transferring under TUPE. OCS operates a self-delivery model and targets more than 95% of core services being delivered in-house, providing British Land with consistent standards and a single point of accountability across its UK sites.
Technology and Operational Transparency
Continuous improvement has underpinned the relationship from the outset. Over the past eight years, OCS has embedded a structured improvement methodology across British Land’s estate, working alongside site teams to reduce waste, refine workflows, and raise service standards. That work continues into the new contract term, supported by the OCS Live portal.
Site teams and British Land’s property managers use OCS Live for real-time performance data, security intelligence updates, and shared innovation across the wider portfolio.
Investing in Colleagues Across the Portfolio
OCS is investing directly in colleagues working on the British Land estate through the proposed Annual Welfare and Social Value Funds. A bonus and reward scheme will be introduced at every site that previously lacked a formal recognition programme, creating a consistent and fair experience for everyone across the portfolio.
OCS Protect will be rolled out across all sites to safeguard lone and remote workers, a measure particularly valuable for smaller retail parks where fewer colleagues are on site at any one time. OCS Immerse, the company’s immersive training platform, will be used across the estate to onboard new colleagues and support their ongoing development throughout the contract period.
A Carbon-Neutral Commitment
OCS submitted a carbon-neutral bid for this contract, reflecting its commitment to reducing environmental impact on every project it undertakes.
“For eight years, OCS has helped us drive performance, sharpen efficiencies, and deliver meaningful improvements across our sites. We appreciate their commitment and energy, and now with more sites across the UK under the new contract, we’re looking forward to building on that momentum in the years ahead.”
Regional Operations Director, British Land
“Having observed the difference OCS has made in the West, providing high-quality soft services to our retail park and shopping centre businesses, I am delighted to be part of the internal team responsible for awarding OCS the contract in the East of England. Their dedication to improving standards, innovation, service excellence, genuinely looking after their people and commitment to training, including apprenticeships, have all factored highly in the decision-making process. We are looking forward to replicating these high standards on the east through a truly combined single service model.”
Regional Operations Director, British Land
“Our relationship with British Land has been built on eight years of consistent delivery and genuine collaboration. The extension of our existing partnership and the inclusion of British Land’s eastern portfolio reflect the confidence gained from working closely together over a long period. With around 600 colleagues now across more than 50 locations, our focus remains on delivering the consistency and quality that British Land’s teams and their customers expect, while investing in the well-being and development of every colleague on the estate.”
Sector Managing Director, Destinations, OCS UK & Ireland
The expanded partnership strengthens OCS’s long-term position in the Destinations sector, where the scale and consistency of a fully integrated soft services provider generate lasting value for customers and colleagues alike.
