Kingsgate 2 ‘on hold’ until economy picks up

Sep 10 2009 by Henryk Zientek, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A TOWN centre shopping complex has yet to set a start date for a £50m extension – but has reported positive signs from many of its existing tenants.

Kingsgate owner WD Huddersfield Ltd won its battle to build an extension to the shopping centre last December after appealing against a decision by Kirklees Council to reject the plan.

But no start date has been set for work to start on the 120,000sq ft extension – dubbed Kingsgate 2 – which is intended to provide a department store, four shops, a restaurant and a cafe.

Kingsgate centre manager Jonathan Hardy said the company was “still minded” to provide the extension, but said: “We are waiting for the right opportunity. We want to see how quickly and how extensively the economy picks up before we make a commitment.”

Mr Hardy said Kingsgate was “doing pretty well” despite the impact of the recession the retail sector.

“Retailers who report to us say they are performing as well as – if not better – than their company averages,” he said.

“A large number of our retailers say their Kingsgate store is in the top 25% of their store ‘league tables’.

“We have only one vacant unit out of 50 and that compares pretty well with other shopping centres in the region and the country.”

Mr Hardy said: “We have a little way to go before we can say consumer confidence has returned.