A shop selling Huddersfield Town and Giants merchandise is to shut.
The Sporting Pride store in Cloth Hall Street, Huddersfield, will close at the end of August – leaving another hole in the town centre.
The lease expires at the end of the month and the clubs will shut down the outlet. Staff will move to the store at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Town commercial director Sean Jarvis said: “Town’s current board of directors inherited the Sporting Pride store when it took over at the start of the ‘New Era’ in 2009.
“It was opened in August 2003 and since then has sold both Town and Giants merchandise.
“The lease, liability and risk are with Town and we manage and run it, with a contribution to costs from the Giants based on its sales.
In commercial terms, the risks all lie with the club and now it is up, we have undertaken a strategic review of our retail operations.
“In recent years, our retail operation has gone from strength to strength, thanks largely in a growth in internet-based sales.
“With increased sales in the Stadium Superstore and online via htafcmegastore.com, we have decided to cease having a town centre store with staff moving to the Stadium Superstore”
Town officials are looking at the possibility of opening a shop at their Canalside complex.
Giants’ managing director Richard Thewlis said: “Retail sales are moving more towards online purchasing rather than shop visiting.
“As a matter of customer behaviour, and with the recession having hit every high street footfall figure, many outlets have closed or are closing.
“The only sensible option for the club was to withdraw its options back to the stadium and continue to promote heavily online.
“A presence for the club within the town would be desirable and it may be that a partner can be sought who would assist with that process without the drain of overheads that the club, in the current climate, cannot tolerate.”
