The Wellgate Centre in Dundee has received a major boost with four new retailers taking up residence.
Leasing agents for the centre, Dundee-based Shepherd Commercial, Cushman and Wakefield and Smith Cole Wright, described the news as a “significant upturn in letting activity.”
The former Woolworths site has been sub-divided and the first unit leased to Home Bargains. The store is scheduled to open in late October. The letting agents are marketing the remainder of the space.
Midlands-based Yeomans Outdoor Leisure has recently opened its first Scottish store on the first floor of the centre and Pound Mart has secured the former Zavvi store at the main entrance to the centre.
Dundee independent shoe store Lucarno has opened on the second floor near the refurbished food court.
John Menzies of Cushman & Wakefield and Ian Wright of Smith Cole Wright, the centre’s joint leasing agents, said, “The arrival of these four new retailers provides a major boost to the mall and introduces a number of new brands to Dundee City Centre for the first time.
“In addition to attracting well-known multiple retailers, we remain committed to offering flexible leasing packages to local independent retailers looking to establish their retail business in the city. On that front, work is presently under way by the landlord to provide three white box retail units in the mall, to create ready-to-go shop units.”
The Wellgate Centre is 32 years old and was taken over in 2008 by The Prudential. It has been refurbished twice since its opening as landlords updated its retail offering.
The centre has seen a significant rise in the number of shoppers passing through its doors in the last few weeks compared to the same period last year.
Centre manager John Morton said he was confident the remaining part of the former Woolworths unit, which will be sandwiched between Home Bargains and Poundland, will find a new tenant, and work is continuing with a view to leasing the few other empty units in the centre.
He said, “We’ve filled a significant amount of vacant space and it’s great to have these new lettings. Last month we recorded a 17% increase in footfall in comparison with June last year and our running average for the year is also up 17%. I’m very optimistic about the future of the Wellgate.”