A new Sports Direct and USC store will open at Beverley’s Flemingate centre this week.
It will see the Frasers Group-owned UK’s leading sportswear and sports equipment retailer and the streetwear and fashion brand unite across 10,000 sq ft.
Thursday’s opening is part of a series for the jointly branded outlets, with Frasers committing to a 10-year lease, while creating 25 jobs.
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David Donkin, property director of Hull-based Wykeland Group, developer and owner of Flemingate, said: “This is great news for Flemingate and Beverley as a whole and builds on the centre’s strong performance in bouncing back from the pandemic.
“Sports Direct and USC have committed to a long-term lease and will bring an outstanding range of major high street sportswear, sports equipment and fashion brands to Flemingate.
“The arrival of Sports Direct and USC is also a major boost for all the other outlets at Flemingate, as it will be a big draw for shoppers and a major driver of footfall.”
“The timing could not be better, with so much excitement around the Olympic Games and interest in sport, health and wellbeing having never been higher.”
The new store is in a unit previously occupied by fashion store Outfit, before it closed when parent company Arcadia went into administration.
Footfall is already higher than pre-pandemic levels, with other recent new openings including a One Stop convenience store and Vintage & Co hair salon.
Wykeland also recently dedicated an 850 sq ft unit as a pop-up space to help start-up businesses and independent traders take their first step into physical retail.
It comes as specialist retailer Simply Running relocates from Hull to Cleethorpes, following a pre-pandemic purchase.
Karl Holmes took on the Albion Street business “before the world stopped” after the previous owner retired.
He has now launched in his home town, on St Peter’s Avenue, with a treadmill installed so people can try trainers out before they buy them.
"The sale went through just before the world stopped so I was in a very different situation to where I thought I would be when I first took over the business.
"I'm from Grimsby originally so decided to move the shop back this way. It's been incredible to start the business, I don't think anyone knew what was going to happen originally when lockdown started.
"To open the shop was a great opportunity that I had to take. I also hope the popularity of the Olympics will bring more people as they get into running and show the public that shops like this do exist."
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