Flannels and Sports Direct are set to open two new flagship stores in the Metrocentre.
The brands, which belong to former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley, will take over the huge store that was once home to Debenhams. It comes after the Metrocentre Partnership agreed a 15-year lease on the 130,000 sq ft unit with retail group SportsDirect.com Retail Limited.
The unit, which is situated in the Red Mall of the Gateshead shopping centre, will be split in two to house both Flannels and Sports Direct.
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High-end retailer Flannels will take over a 70,000 sq ft space on the ground floor and Sports Direct will open a 60,000 sq ft store on the first floor, with both shops set to open next year. The former Debenhams store is currently occupied by Next Beauty & Home, which will move into Next’s existing store in the Green Mall to make way for the new development.
The Metrocentre already has a branch of Flannels in the Upper Red Mall and Sports Direct occupies a retail warehouse elsewhere in Gateshead, which will close when the retailer moves to the new Metrocentre unit.
Graeme Jones, director at Sovereign Centros, an asset manager which led negotiations for the Metrocentre Partnership to secure the lease, was delighted to see new brands take over the former department store space.
“These lettings will create a new destination point for the centre’s Red Mall," he said.
"The store sits on one of the main entrances to the centre and is therefore important from a visual presentation perspective. The transaction completes a major element of our business plan leasing up surplus former department store space.”
The news follows the opening of Harrod’s H beauty in the shopping centre's former House of Fraser store and the launch of H&M Home. The Metrocentre, which welcomes over 19 million visitors every year, said it has opened 180,000 sq ft of retail space in just 18 months.
“Retailer interest in thee Metrocentre is strong," Graeme added.
"We are not only attracting new premium brands, but existing retailers are upsizing into new flagship stores. Both JD and H&M upsized earlier this year and are trading really well.”
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