Barratts arrival 'step in right direction' for Gloucester
SHOPPERS say trade in Gloucester has taken a "step in the right direction" with the return of shoe shop Barratts.
The footwear chain will open a store in Eastgate Street on Saturday.
But down the street, a question mark hangs over the future of Argos after the company announced it would be shutting 75 of its stores over the next five years.
Yesterday, a spokeswoman said it could not confirm if the Gloucester branch would be affected.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Sunday, June 30 2013
However, Barratts return is a blast from the past as the unit it has taken, to the left of the new Marks and Spencers, is the same one it occupied until three years ago.
Mum-of-three Claire Perkins said: "I'm really pleased to see a shop shutting instead of opening.
"It's taken me back as I remember shopping in the Barratts here as a teenager." The 36-year-old said shoe shopping in Gloucester was a "struggle" and added: "This is definitely a step in the right direction for Gloucester."
Barratts left the city in 2009 after parent company Stylo went into administration.
Carephone Warehouse moved into the unit, but it has now moved to a shop space on the other side of M&S.
Jason Robinson, centre manager at The Eastgate Shopping Centre, said: "We're really pleased to see yet another retailer opening in the centre.
"Since Marks and Spencer opened in the summer, we've certainly seen a surge in interest from other retailers."
On the back of that move, the centre has transformed six smaller units into two larger ones in Bell Walk.
It has now announced that fashion retailer Internacionale will be opening a 'concept store' in one of them.
Mr Robinson said: "It bodes well for the future and obviously means that Internacionale are doing well here in Gloucester."
Caraline Money, Internacionale retail operations director, said: "When the opportunity for a store in the Bell Walk area became available we jumped at the chance."
Comments
by Glos_Lad34
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 11:12AM
“Glad that Barratts are back in Gloucester, I used to get my shoes there before they closed down like 10-15 years ago, Hmm, what new kind off shoes do they have now?”
by Ms_Superstar
Friday, October 26 2012, 5:11PM
“Barratts?? I thought they'd gone bust years ago!
Was I mistaken, or was I right and someone else has bought the brand name?
I hope we'll be seeing Faith make a comeback too.”
by IsitJimKerr
Thursday, October 25 2012, 11:07AM
“Barratts arrival 'step in right direction' for Gloucester'....................brilliant, I saw what they did there!”
by ArthurHoyle
Thursday, October 25 2012, 10:15AM
“Claire can be delighted, then to see so many shops in Gloucester "shutting instead of opening", but I am sure most would prefer to see shops OPENING rather than shutting!! - Or could this be yet another example of poor proof reading by sloppy "journalists"??? As my old teachers used to say: "GET A GRIP"”