Retailer set to close down its long-standing shop in Northampton - but reveals plans to move into Grosvenor Centre

A new retailer is set to move into a Northampton town centre shopping centre.

The Grosvenor Centre in the town centre is set to fill an empty unit in its premises.

Shoezone is closing down its long-standing store in the Drapery and is set to move into the vacant ground floor unit next to Muffin Break.

The shoe shop has had a closing down sale for months now, but today (Thursday, April 6) is its last day in the Drapery.

A sign in the shops window reads: “Last day. We’re on the move to Grosvenor Shopping Centre next to Muffin Break.”

The Grosvenor Shopping Centre is now under new ownership after it was snapped up at the end of January by Evolve Estates, a national commercial property and investment company.

Evolve Estates bought the site from Legal and General for an undisclosed sum.

The addition of Shoezone is one of Evolve Estates first acts as new owners.

Joe O’Keefe, one of the founding partners of Evolve Estates, said in January: “We are pleased to have completed this acquisition in an incredibly challenging market, cementing our commitment to continued investment in the retail sector.

“This is one of the largest retail centres to come under our ownership and we’re excited to get to work. We’re already in discussion with numerous tenants who will complement the scheme and the wider Northampton town centre offer.”

The two-storey shopping centre was refurbished in 2015 and is anchored by Primark, Boots and Next. Other national retailers include: Office, Superdry, Lush, Pandora, Smiggle, Deichmann Shoes, and River Island.

However, major fashion brand New Look vacated its massive Grosvenor Centre unit in February this year. It currently sits empty and boarded up.

Gadget shop Menkind and women’s fashion store Select also closed down earlier this year.