Flannels and Sports Direct to open North East flagship stores at Metrocentre

Frasers Group owned Flannels and Sports Direct have taken new flagship stores at the Metrocentre shopping destination in Gateshead, set to open in 2023.

Parent company SportsDirect.com Retail Limited has taken the former Debenhams store in the centre's Red Mall for the two brands.

The Metrocentre Partnership has agreed a 15-year lease on the 130,000 sq ft store with the retail group, which intends to open a 70,000 sq ft Flannels on the ground floor and a 60,000 sq ft Sports Direct on the first floor.

Flannels currently occupies a 5,000 sq ft unit on the Upper Red Mall and Sports Direct occupies a retail warehouse elsewhere in Gateshead, which will close when the retailer moves to the Metrocentre.

The former Debenhams store is currently occupied by Next Home & Beauty, which will consolidate into Next’s existing store in the Green Mall at the centre.

The negotiations for the Metrocentre Partnership were led by its asset manager, Sovereign Centros.

Graeme Jones, Director at Sovereign Centros, said: “These lettings will create a new destination point for the centre’s Red Mall. 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 deal follows the recent JD Sports store upsizing at the centre, the refurbishment of Town Square and the opening of the UK’s largest Harrod’s H Beauty store.

Jones added: “Retailer interest in the centre is strong. 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.”