Big brands move out of city but new names move in

Rubber clog maker Crocs has shut down barely a year after opening at Trinity Leeds shopping centre and Austin Reed, which is headquartered in Thirsk, is holding a closing down sale at its city centre store.

Meanwhile, budget clothes chain Internacionale and shoe store Aldo recently left Leeds.

Crocs, which occupied a prominent site in the mall off Commercial Street, is one of the first stores to leave Trinity since Land Securities opened the centre in spring 2013.

Internacionale also closed down last month after the company went into administration.

It is understood that the closure of the 1,300 sq ft Crocs store formed part of a wider plan to close many of its UK sites. It still has a shop in Meadowhall, Sheffield.

The mobile phone shop 3 is filling the void in Trinity after beating two or three other potential occupiers to the spot. It is fitting out the shop and plans to open in mid-July.

It comes amid a flurry of new lettings at Trinity, including DKNY, which will open up a shop on Albion Street, Italian cosmetics company Kiko, and restaurants Meat Liquor and Cabana.

Gerald Jennings, Land Securities’ development director for the north, said: “Getting DKNY into Leeds is a big vote of confidence for Leeds and Trinity.”

He added: “Things change and move on. Crocs needed to move their business and they are doing this up and down the UK. The demand for Trinity is such that it was an opportunity for us, evidenced by us getting someone in straight away and securing all this other activity as well.”

Meanwhile, Austin Reed, situated on Albion Street, is holding a closing down sale. It is not known whether the retailer, and its sister store Viyella, which are owned by investment vehicle Darius Capital, will open up another store elsewhere in the city.

Sainsbury’s is rumoured to be replacing Austin Reed at the 3,000 sq ft site.

Accounts filed last November show that sales at the 114-year-old tailor fell two per cent to £113m in the year to January 2013, with pre-tax profits dropping from £7.6m to £1.8m.

The tailor also has stores in Harrogate and Meadowhall as well as outlets in Rotherham, Thirsk and York and a further concession in York.

Meanwhile, Aldo recently pulled out of its Commercial Street store.

The Canadian brand still has a store in Meadowhall.

Crocs, Austin Reed and Aldo could not be reached for comment.