Tony Davey, chairman of Stroud Chamber of Trade has given his reaction to the news that luxury independent department store, Sandersons Boutique at the Five Valleys shopping centre is set to close.
The store, which opened on April 14th, 2021 and boasted luxury brands, including Holland Cooper, Barbour, Grace & Mila and FRNCH as well as menswear collections from Jacob Cohen, Hackett, Briglia and Armani and fragrance brands such as Chanel. It also features Choux Bun Appetit.
A spokesperson for Sandersons, the retail arm of Dransfield Properties run by founder and chairman Mark Dransfield, said: “This is part of a strategic review of the business in Stroud and we look forward to updating local stakeholders in the coming weeks.”
This follows the news that Sandersons boutique department store in Morpeth will close in March, making way for three new companies to join the retail line-up at Sanderson Arcade.
“I have heard the intention is to refurbish the unit, which hopefully will secure the jobs of those who work there,” said Mr Davey.
“The store has drawn negative comments from some, those who spend every day in town may notice the sight of a Sandersons bag was not a rare sight.
“The retail landscape is very challenging at present, with consumer confidence taking some time to recover, and higher-end retailers are not immune from these market forces. It’s also important to keep offerings fresh so if the store, as suggested, is undergoing a remodel this can be a positive move.
“Our Commercial Property Audit for Stroud, updated last week, shows the town currently has a vacancy rate that is largely tracking the national average. This is not a goal, of course, but because our vacant units are largely clustered in town gateways it gives an impression that is worse than accurate figures show.
“The Five Valleys Shopping Centre, which continues its refurbishment path, and lower high street are two main clusters, our study shows.
