Freshney Place 'committed to providing current and varied' retail …
Freshney Place says it performs above the national average in terms of occupancy and is “committed” to providing a “current and varied” retail offering – despite the fact that another retailer inside the centre has shut up shop for good. On Saturday, April 1, longstanding card and gift shop Clinton Cards closed its doors for the final time, with staff confirming that the store was “one of many” across the country to be closing down. Just six months earlier, the popular milkshake shop Eskimoo closed down after 15 years in Freshney Place.
It followed the “huge blow” for Grimsby town centre which saw New Look leave the centre for good after the landlord exited the lease early. Read more: Clinton Cards in Freshney Place to close for good this weekend In 2020 alone, shoppers said goodbye to department store House of Fraser in July, and adjoining shops Monsoon and Accessorize also shut up shop before the lockdown restrictions hit.
Discount store Bargain Buys at the entrance of Freshney Place also closed the same year, along with chocolatier Thorntons which never opened again after lockdown. But Amanda Austin, the centre director of Freshney Place, said the shopping centre is experiencing an “exciting period of change”.
Freshney Place, Grimsby (Image: GrimsbyLive/Donna Clifford)
She told Grimsby Live: “Freshney Place is experiencing an exciting period of change as we move closer to the new leisure and retail scheme for the people of Grimsby and the North Lincolnshire area. The investment in the centre is a positive catalyst for change, and we are working closely with all parties to create new experiences and opportunities.”
The new GBP30million development is set to include a new market hall, a cinema and leisure complex and will open in 2025. Amanda continued: “We are committed to providing a current and varied retail offering, and this involves constant conversations with both existing and future retailers. This ensures the longevity of our existing tenant mix and our aspiration to deliver a robust leisure and retail scheme for the future.
We are already in advanced negotiations with a potential tenant for the former Clinton’s unit.
“The shopping centre continues to perform above the national average in terms of occupancy, and offers a great range of high street brands, as well as independents such as Segal’s Jewellers who have announced their investment in a new state of the art store in Freshney Place.”
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