KETTERING SEES A RETAIL REVIVAL!
Barnes Noble Edwards are delighted to announce more newcomers to the town centre confirming retail interest in the town has picked up.
Kevin O’Dell says “It’s been a difficult few years for our High Street, what with Corby’s sudden rise in big retailing names, the recession and other economic issues which have affected retail confidence. However, I am pleased to say we have managed to find some good applicants who have gone ahead with leases and plugged some of the gaps in the High Street. With the closure of retailers such as Dolland & Aitchison, TJ Hughes, Diamonds and Pearls etc., we all sat there thinking ‘not again, when will it all stop’! This time around, some of the new vacant shops have been reoccupied fairly quickly, given the current market. Take TJ Hughes for example – one minute it shuts and there are three floors of empty space and within roughly a fortnight, we have 99P Stores opening the doors which, hopefully, is not a short term arrangement but no doubt a testing of the waters from their point of view.
Barnes Noble Edwards have been fairly steady and have noticed a sudden surge of hairdressers, 3 to be exact, opening within the town centre albeit in different areas. 36 High Street near McDonalds has been let by BNE to an individual having the Express Haircut brand making this his third shop in the town. Inspire Salons have just completed a lease on the new retail park behind Wilkinsons and Argos, and Roberti Hairdressing is due to open in early December in the former Dolland & Aitchison unit, again both being arranged by BNE. We wish them all the best of luck.
We have also let the unit next door to Superdrug to the National Cheque Centre on a 10 year lease. The old Bewise Store at the back of the Newlands Centre has had some terrible luck during the last four to five years but we are delighted with the lease completion of a 2,800ft² unit to The Wholesale Kitchen Company Limited, who have expanded from their Nene Court facility in Wellingborough after a big surge in business. The larger unit is currently under offer too and we hope to be able to bring you some further news on this fairly shortly, so watch this space! BNE have also been instructed by Kettering Borough Council to dispose of the former carpet shop at 1 Horsemarket and we are currently in talks with a restaurant operator who has a number of units in the county - this would tie in very well for our new Restaurant Quarter and we look forward to having extra choice at lunch times!”
There is no doubting that Kettering still has a long way to go to get back to its former glory days of being the number one destination for shopping in North Northants but slowly, but surely, the town is starting to attract newcomers again which is very positive. Barnes Noble Edwards are proud to be at the heart of that revival.
If you are keen to join Kettering’s Retail Revival BNE have further retail units available, which can be seen on the website
www.bne.co.uk As my 6 year old son would say at his rugby club “Go Kettering!”
Kevin O’Dell
29/11/11