Risk of ‘domino effect’ as another big name leaves Lister Gate
RIVER ISLAND IS LATEST RETAILER TO CLOSE BRANCH NEAR BROADMARSH
FRESH concern has been raised about the future of shops in Nottingham city centre after another major retailer closed one its stores.
Workers were seen clearing out the site of the former River Island store in Lister Gate, after the fashion chain confirmed that the shop is to close permanently.
The retailer, which last year made 600 store and head office staff redundant, is to retain its other city centre store, in the Victoria Centre.
The loss of the River Island store is the latest blow to the high street following the collapse of Debenhams and high street fashion brands Topshop, Topman and Miss Selfridge, all of which are to close their doors.
It was confirmed on Friday that WH Smith in Lister Gate would also be closing in May.
And it is more bad news for Lister Gate where footfall has “plummeted” over the past year - and not just due to Covid-19, a retail expert said.
In May 2020, Marks and Spencer announced it would not be reopening its Home store at 22-26 Lister Gate, and at the end of December plans were revealed for the Grade II listed building to be redeveloped into student apartments with two small retail units.
More recently, the continued store closure programmes of many wellknown retail brands have meant more large gaps across this southern part of the city centre, including not just along Lister Gate, but on Albert Street and Low Pavement.
In Autumn 2020, both Hotter and Pret a Manger announced their stores would be shutting.
Independent retail analyst, Nelson Blackley, told the Post: “In Nottingham, footfall in Lister Gate has plummeted over the past year, not just because of Covid-19 and the lack of commuters travelling into the city every day, but because the Broadmarsh Centre has remained closed since last March.
“Both the large H&M and New
Look stores on Lister Gate are expected to resume trading once the current closure of ‘non-essential’ retailers ends but there must be a real risk of a ‘domino effect’ across this southern entrance to the city centre, particularly among those remaining fashion stores.”
Shoppers said the area not so much a shopping destination anymore but a “cut-through” into the city centre.
Tom Hunt, 29, of Mapperley, said: “I am not so fussed about River Island shutting as I didn’t use it, to be honest, but it is a big name. The area is more of a just a cut-through from the Broadmarsh now I think.
There are fewer shops to use.”
Helen Marks, 45, of Bestwood Village, added: “It’s a big store to be going. I wonder what will replace it. My daughter used it. It’s a shame for the street. It’s had some huge stores on it in the past with Woolworths and Allders in the Broadmarsh.”
Mr Blackley added: “The news that River Island will not reopen their large Lister Gate store once the current lockdown ends is not a surprise as they already have another store in the Victoria Centre and which is clearly in a much better location.
“As another ‘mid-market’ fashion retailer with 270 UK stores at a time
Sadly this probably won’t be the last shop to close in Nottingham before we get to the other side of this pandemic.
when over 55 percent of fashion retail has moved online, I am sure that River Island has been looking to both reduce its rent burden and store numbers for some time.”
East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said the closure was “another blow to the city”.
He added: “River Island’s decision to close its Lister Gate store and concentrate its efforts on its Victoria Centre branch is further indication of how retailers are consolidating their estate to survive coronavirus.
“We’ve all seen how much trends from physical to online shopping have been turbo-charged over the past 12 months and sadly this probably won’t be the last shop to close in Nottingham before we get to the other side of this pandemic.
“It’s another blow to the city following news that Debenhams, which occupies a hugely significant strategic position in Old Market Square, will shut and these moves are further proof that we must face up to the huge challenges facing us in the post-covid world.
“We’re feeling the pain right now but this transition will help us to deliver the investment, jobs and economic growth we need to enable these centres of commerce to thrive once more.”