River Island to relocate Maidstone store

Fashion retailer River Island is to relocate its Maidstone store from its current spot in Week Street to a bigger unit nearby as part of the town’s Fremlin Walk shopping centre.

River Island has signed a 10-year lease with M&G Real Estate, which purchased the shopping centre in late 2014, and will become an anchor unit, taking the 13,000 square foot unit that was occupied by Next.

Scott Linard, director of asset management at M&G Real Estate, said: “River Island joins Fremlin Walk at a time of competitive retailer interest in the shopping centre. Our first year of ownership was a very successful one with many new national brands arriving at the centre to improve our already very strong line-up of shops and eateries at Fremlin Walk and give our customers more reason to return time and time again.”

Other recent lettings to the 350,000 square foot Fremlin Walk shopping centre includes fashion chain Quiz and Smiggle. The other anchor tenant is House of Fraser which occupies a 100,000 square foot store, the department store sits alongside other fashion names including Superdry, Zara, Topshop, H&M, and Schuh.

River Island, which has more than 350 stores across the UK, is set to open its new Maidstone store at the end of April.

Image: Fremlin Walk