Another well known High Street name is leaving York.
Clothing brand Jack Wills is to close its Stonegate store in November.
It has launched a closing down sale. A note in the window says: “Jack Wills: This store will cease trading in November 2020. Please shop online”.
The store is now being marketed for rent by KLM.
The rent is set at £130,000 a year, and it has a rateable value of £84K. The three-storey, Grade II listed building has 2,530 sq ft of sales space over the ground and first floors.
“The subject property is situated in a superb location, positioned on prime Stonegate, the city’s aspirational retailing pitch,” KLM’s details state.
“Stonegate benefits from exceptional footfall and provides a key link from York Minster to St Helen’s Square and the rest of the city.
“The street is very well let with nearby retailers including; Kiehl’s, The White Company, Jo Malone, Berry’s of York, Jigsaw, Hotel Chocolat, and Joules.”
Latest closure
Jack Wills, which sells fashion with a British university vibe, was bought by the Fraser Group earlier this year – the company run by Mike Ashley, which also includes Sports Direct and Game.
Another of its brands is Evans Cycles. Part of the old York BHS store earmarked for a new Evans store is still empty.
Jack Wills’ departure is only the latest big name to go. We reported last week that York was the worst-hit city in the UK for shop closures.
A report by the Local Data Company and PwC UK found that York has been the worst affected area of chain store losses, with a net loss of 55 chain store outlets.
But the research didn’t include independent businesses, which is a particularly strong sector in York.
And York BID executive director Andrew Lowson pointed out that the current York vacancy rate of 11.5 per cent, is still well below the national average of 13.3 per cent.