Global fashion giant GAP and premium retailer Van Mildert are closing their city centre stores in York.
Gap posted closing down signs in the windows of their Davygate store this week (w/c 26 August).
YorkMix understands that the store will close on 4 October and that there will be redundancies.
Gap’s other York store, at the Designer Outlet, will remain open.
The move comes as part of a major worldwide cost-cutting programme by the American chain. It was announced earlier this year that more than 200 stores would be shut-down worldwide amid a dramatic decline in sales.
Van Mildert, which is part of retail magnate Mike Asley’s portfolio is being merged with Flannels. Signs have been place in the windows of the Blake Street store, announcing closure in September.
Phil Pinder, chair of the York Retail Forum said “It’s such a shame that York is losing two more fashion brands as part of yet another High Street restructuring. It’s clear the crisis facing larger retailers is far from over. Business rates have become a huge burden for larger shops, they have confined to rise as revenues have stagnated. Government policy has not helped larger shops, without action soon, even more larger shops will close.”