A RETAILER in Newport city centre is set to remain open, despite closing down signs being plastered across the store for a number of weeks over the summer.
Shoe Zone, located in the Kingsway Shopping Centre, appeared destined for closure, when bright yellow signs appeared in the windows several weeks ago.
The signs, which were seen on the windows, doors, and on product display units, read: “Sorry we’re closing down”.
But this week, these signs have been removed, and replaced with many new signs, some advertising the store’s current back to school sale.
The Argus understands that staff in the Newport store were informed last week that it would not be closing down, and would continue trading.
It comes as a boost to the city centre shopping destination, which is currently home to a number of vacant units.
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Following news that the retailer might be shutting the store at Unit 11 of the Kingsway, the Leicester headquartered footwear chain did not return multiple requests for comment.
However, it had been widely reported that Shoe Zone was looking at closing a large chunk of their high street portfolio, with as many as 20 stores remaining closed after the first lockdown.
Pre-covid, there was believed to have been as many as 490 Shoe Zone stores in the UK.
It is not currently known how many remain.
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Late last year, plans to open new stores were shelved, and it was reported that around one-in-five Shoe Zone stores could close in 2021.
Around 45 stores were said to have been in immediate risk of closure, with another 45 set to be shut in the following 12 months.
It is not known if the plans to close Newport’s were related to their nationwide closure plans.
The Argus has approached Shoe Zone for comment.
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