Sosandar agrees a deal for a Metrocentre store

Sosandar, the formerly pureplay womenswear retailer and one of the fastest growing brands in the UK, has now agreed leases for three stores: in Chelmsford and Marlow, both expected to open in September, and now in the North East expected to open in October.

The retailer said its Metrocentre store will sit “in the heart” of the shopping centre’s “Platinum Mall, which is home to higher-end and designer stores” alongside brands such as Jo Malone, Harrods’ H Beauty and Hobbs.

The Metrocentre in Gateshead, outside of Newcastle, was visited by 14.4 million people in 2023, an increase on the prior year, and is considered a top five UK super regional centre.

This is the third store that Sosandar has signed in a calendar year, “with a number of others in the latter stages of legal processes” and further stores across a “broader set of locations” identified and under review.

Co-CEOs of Sosandar, Ali Hall and Julie Lavington, said: “We are pleased to announce the third location for our Sosandar stores. We have a strict criteria of opening stores in top-tier, thriving locations where Sosandar customers over-index, and Metrocentre ticks all these boxes.

“ Metrocentre has a reputation for hosting a versatile range of fashion retailers and we look forward to the official opening of our store in the coming months.”

Ben Cox, director at Sovereign Centros from CBRE, said: “Sosandar’s arrival at Metrocentre for one of their first physical stores, and first in the region, is fantastic news and reflective of the destination’s dominance in the North-East and strength in the UK as a whole. We are dedicated to delivering highly sought-after brands that will appeal to our loyal customer base. Sosandar is just that, and a natural fit within Platinum Mall, and we look forward to seeing their store open in the autumn.”