Fashion chain Topshop is set to move its Huddersfield store to the Kingsgate Centre.
The retailer will leave its premises at 65/67 New Street to take up the unit left vacant by the closure of the HMV shop earlier this year.
Attracting Topshop – and its Topman menswear department – is a coup for Kingsgate bosses and strengthens the centre’s “stable” of major fashion retailers.
But the relocation means there will be another empty store on New Street as Topshop moves out.
Topshop will open its doors at Kingsgate on September 5 following completion of shopfitting at the 8,245 sq ft unit.
Peter Everest, managing director of Kingsgate owner WD Huddersfield Ltd, said Topshop’s New Street store only had space for a proportion of its clothing ranges.
The former HMV shop would provide enhanced facilities for the retailer, including a first-floor trading area which was little used by HMV.
He said the deal to bring Topshop to the centre was signed just two weeks after the HMV store closed.
He added: “This is part of our policy to bring in – as far as possible – the biggest names in retailing and encourage people to shop here rather than in Leeds or other cities.”
Fashion retailers already established at Kingsgate include H&M, Next, New Look, Miss Selfridge, Republic, Office and River Island.
Thirteen employees lost their jobs when the HMV store closed following the collapse of the music and video retailer into administration in January.
The store was one of 66 HMV outlets to close with the loss of almost 1,000 jobs.
More than 2,600 HMV jobs UK-wide were saved in April after restructuring firm Hilco bought 141 stores – but the Huddersfield outlet was not reprieved.
Topshop is part of tycoon Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia Group, which also includes BHS, Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Miss Selfridge and Wallis.
A spokeswoman for Topshop said: “I can confirm that Topshop will be moving to a new location in the Kingsgate Centre in early September.
“This relocation came as a more suitable location became available in Huddersfield.
“The staff will be relocating with the store.”
