New stores set for Eastgate Centre

THE Eastgate Centre has announced five new arrivals to the complex in Inverness.

National clothes retailer Top Shop has left its home on the city's High Street to move into the shopping mall, which attracts an average of 170,000 people every week.

Fashion label Ness, designer clothing outlet Attic, the Card Factory and Stormfront have also signed leases with the centre’s property group owner Grosvenor.

The Sony Centre is also moving into Eastgate from Academy Street.

Talks with one company about taking another unit, which has never been let before, are also underway.

Top Shop will trade out of a 8,500 sq ft store previously occupied by rival clothing chain Zara.

Zara closed the store in January and said the decision was made because of rent increases by the landlord, claiming costs were going up in Inverness.

However, Eastgate Centre manager Jackie Cuddy remained tight lipped on whether Top Shop had been offered a reduced rent, but said the company had spent a considerable amount of money in upgrading the vacant unit.

"The interest has been bubbling away and there is a lot more optimism about it but it is still tough out there," said Ms Cuddy.

"We don’t have any temporary lets, most are for up to five years."

One trader blames out-of-town developments for reducing the number of people going into the Old Town in the city and believes things do not bode well for the future.

Garek Begg, who runs Begg Shoes and Bags in Union Street, said the situation could deteriorate further once the new Inverness College opens at Beechwood, near Inshes, in 2014.

According to a member of staff, The Sony Centre is moving because the street is simply not as busy as it once was.

Its imminent departure will mean another "for let" sign joins the plethora of notices already displayed on the street.

Popular toy shop Junners Toymaster closed in January in the old town and off-licence Oddbins shut soon afterwards when it went into administration.

A city development brief for Highland Council is expected to be published later this year.

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