Kentish Express Ashford & District
New businesses on their way to County Square
Shopping centre bosses have told shoppers to “watch this space” as new businesses are set to open their doors in the near future.
It follows speculation of interest from two major retailers about moving in to the former BHS store in County Square, which closed earlier this summer.
The shopping centre says that this large empty shop unit has been “heavily marketed” for potential new retailers.
Many in Ashford have called calling for Primark to take over the premises but Primark has always said it has no plans to open a branch in Ashford.
However, County Square marketing co-ordinator Lesley Farnborough says it is still “early days” in the hunt for new tenants there.
She said: “The closure of BHS was a great disappointment to us all and the empty unit is currently being heavily marketed to potential tenants via our two letting agents. However, it is still early days.”
She did reveal that two new County Square tenants have been lined up, with a fashion store set to open in the Upper Oval section of the centre next door to Debenhams.
Work there includes knocking through a shop wall to create a larger store for one of the retailers, but Ms Farnborough remained tight-lipped about who would be moving in, and said simply: “Watch this space!”
Meanwhile the deal to bring the Nationwide building society into the centre is still set to go ahead.
The company will be opening a branch in the former Clarks footwear shop after leaving its premises in the High Street.
Ms Farnborough concluded: “All in all things look very positive. Our current footfall numbers are up year on year, and figures are likely to beat the five million visitors we had in 2015.”
For more information about the shopping centre visit www. countysquareshoppingcentre. com
‘The empty unit is currently being heavily marketed to potential tenants’