Sports Direct to open in The Brooks Shopping Centre this weekend

The Brooks Shopping Centre has announced that work is ahead of schedule, meaning the popular retailer should be opening to customers for the first time over the weekend.

Yarrow Estates Ltd, a consortia of investors led by Winchester-based investors and developers Gentian, bought the shopping centre at the beginning of the year and has since been working with the Brooks management team to secure new tenants.

It is a major boost for The Brooks which has rarely been fully let since it opened in 1991 but is close now to being fully occupied.

The company announced Sports Direct would be moving in, at the end of October, and hopes that the deal will prove popular.

READ MORE: USC and Game to open alongside Sports Direct in Winchester

Alongside the sports shop, in the former New Look unit, will be partner stores Game and USC, bringing well-known brands such as HUGO BOSS, Tommy Hilfiger, Lacoste, Levi’s and Calvin Klein.

Signs have gone up for all three brands as well as sale promotions with up to 50 per cent off at USC and up to 70 per cent off at Sports Direct.

Sales signs at Sports Direct (Image: Adele Bouchard)

Simon Turpin, director and asset manager for Yarrow Estates, said: “Sports Direct’s arrival feels like a huge, early Christmas Present for the Brooks, as we’ve already had lots of people visit to take a look.

“Their fit-out contractors have been a pleasure to work with and I’m very grateful to our team of Lisa, Danny, Stewart, Rhys, John and Dhan for their hard work. I’d also like to thank all our other tenants, for being so kind and understanding, during what has been an incredibly busy few weeks.”

The sports retailer announced plans to focus on opening more larger stores while closing smaller branches in March.

The business previously had a store in Winchester High Street which closed several years ago.