Store shuts in favour of online trade

Sportsshoes, a family-run sportswear retailer, will shut the doors of its shop in Hall Ings in the city centre, for the last time at the end of July following the termination of its lease agreement with landlord and car park operator NCP.

The store, which was set up by ex-professional footballer and Bradford City striker Bruce Bannister in 1982, has grown into an institution for the region’s sports lovers.

Despite the closure, people can still buy sports clothing and footwear from www.sportsshoes.com.

The store’s 14 staff will all be given the opportunity to work at the firm’s head office and distribution warehouse in Shipley.

Sportsshoes has bucked the High Street trend recently and seen year-on-year sales growth at both national and international levels, resulting in the firm doubling its workforce at its head office and warehouse in Shipley to over 80 people.

Sportsshoes chairman, Bruce Bannister said: “As a Yorkshire businessman, born and bred in Bradford, I’m passionate about my home city and the store is close to my heart. So it is with great regret that we have to announce the closure of our Sportsshoes retail unit. We will be closing our doors... as the renewal proposals were just not commercially viable.”