This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/8001610.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Toy shop leaves Victoria Square | Toy shop leaves Victoria Square |
| (about 22 hours later) | |
| Belfast's Victoria Square shopping centre is losing another high profile retailer. | Belfast's Victoria Square shopping centre is losing another high profile retailer. |
| The toy shop Hamleys is closing its operation in the House of Fraser store. | The toy shop Hamleys is closing its operation in the House of Fraser store. |
| Hamleys has partnerships with House of Fraser in Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and Birmingham but will now end those to focus on opening stand-alone shops. | Hamleys has partnerships with House of Fraser in Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and Birmingham but will now end those to focus on opening stand-alone shops. |
| About 85% of the retail area has been leased in the £400m Victoria Square centre, which opened in March 2008. | About 85% of the retail area has been leased in the £400m Victoria Square centre, which opened in March 2008. |
| In recent weeks the fashion retailer Crombie closed its shop in the centre while French Connection is holding a closing down sale. | In recent weeks the fashion retailer Crombie closed its shop in the centre while French Connection is holding a closing down sale. |
| Retailers in the centre have recently been given a 7% reduction in the service charge they pay to help ease the financial burden during the current economic climate. | Retailers in the centre have recently been given a 7% reduction in the service charge they pay to help ease the financial burden during the current economic climate. |
| A Hamleys' spokesperson said they had opened large stand alone stores in Jordan, Dubai and the Republic of Ireland last year. | A Hamleys' spokesperson said they had opened large stand alone stores in Jordan, Dubai and the Republic of Ireland last year. |
| "Such is the confidence in the success of the first three outlets that we have decided that our strategy going forward is to solely concentrate our business model on "big-box" stores rather than concessions," she said. | "Such is the confidence in the success of the first three outlets that we have decided that our strategy going forward is to solely concentrate our business model on "big-box" stores rather than concessions," she said. |
| "Therefore, strategically we have made the decision to close our small format concessions located in selected House of Fraser stores as they are not able to replicate the theatre and scale that Hamleys requires. | "Therefore, strategically we have made the decision to close our small format concessions located in selected House of Fraser stores as they are not able to replicate the theatre and scale that Hamleys requires. |
| "The stores will close on 22 April, apart from Belfast which will remain open until September." | "The stores will close on 22 April, apart from Belfast which will remain open until September." |