Sosandar signs up for third store at the Metrocentre

Womenswear brand Sosandar, which outlined its plans for physical retail in its FY24 financials, has signed up for its third store at the Metrocentre shopping centre in Gateshead near Newcastle in autumn.

The brand’s third standalone store will be located in Metrocentre’s Platinum Mall, alongside brands such as Phase Eight and Hobbs. The 2,047-square-foot store is expected to open in October, in time for the Christmas trading period, and will feature its wide range of womenswear and accessories.

Sosander first launched online eight years ago, and the Metrocentre location will join its first two store openings in Chelmsford and Marlow in September. The Marlow store will be located on Marlow High Street, joining retailers such as The White Company, Sweaty Betty and Toast, while the other will be in the heart of Chelmsford, on Bond Street, which boasts brands including Mint Velvet and The White Company.

Ali Hall and Julie Lavington, co-chief executives at Sosandar, said in a statement: “We are pleased to announce the third location for our Sosandar stores. We have a strict criteria for 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.”

Sosander has also added it is the late stage of negotiation with “a broader set of store locations identified for roll-out over the medium term” as it targets 50 store openings in the next five years.

Ben Cox, director at Sovereign Centros from CBRE, asset managers of Metrocentre, added: “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.”