Store opening breathes new life into unit empty for year
October 12, 2012 by admin
Filed under Choosing Lingerie
NEW life is being breathed into a Swansea store which has been empty for almost a year.
Lingerie chain La Senza closed its doors in Oxford Street after the group was placed into administration in January.
The chain had operated from its city centre premises since 2007 but mannequins in empty windows were all that remained of the business for the majority of this year.
Last week bargain group Just Genius, which has outlets in Bristol and Birmingham, opened in the unit, selling everything from space hoppers and lava lamps to adult toys and joke products.
Computer games chain CEX is also planning to open a new store opposite the former lingerie outlet in around three weeks time.
The group is in the process of fitting out a unit which became available after the collapse of greetings cards chain Clinton Cards, leaving another sizeable hole in the city centre street.
CEX buys, sells and exchanges a range of technology and entertainment products in its stores, which have grown from the first outlet opened in London in 1992.
Swansea Business Improvement District (BID) chief executive Russell Greenslade said foot flow was key to the success of any business. He added: “It’s very positive news that new businesses are choosing to come into the city centre.
“It will certainly help increase awareness of what’s on offer to other companies looking to open in a new location.
“Recent data shows people are staying longer in NCP car parks since we started a new offer, coupled with recent foot flow data showing that events we have supported working in partnership with the local authority have recruited thousands of more people into the city centre.”
A Swansea Council spokesman said: “We recognise these are difficult economic times in Swansea and across the UK as whole.
“This is why we have a series of schemes either in place or proposed for the future to help our city centre traders in the short-term and ensure they’re in a position to reap the rewards when economic conditions improve.”
