MORE changes are coming soon to Oxford’s rapidly changing high street scene.
Swiss beauty brand is about to open at the Westgate Centre after deciding to join the exodus of stores relocating from Cornmarket Street and clothing chain Fat Face is to move into Queen Street.
Cornmarket, which has traditionally had the most footfall, has been undergoing major changes as some chains have moved out.
READ AGAIN: TK Maxx fans queue for opening of Clarendon Centre storeA large section of its shop fronts are now covered with information panels as Jesus College continues its shops and student accommodation revamp.
The £36m scheme aims to renovate Northgate House on the corner of Cornmarket and Market Street and should be completed by 2021, the 450th anniversary of the college.
READ AGAIN: College history goes on show in CornmarketGraham Jones, of traders’ group ROX - Backing Oxford Business, said: “If chains are still moving in that has to be a good sign.
“Once the Jesus College scheme is completed I think Cornmarket could start to flourish.”
Gentlemen’s outfitters Moss Bros in Cornmarket has also left for the Westgate Centre and its former shop unit remains empty, although it is being marketed and building contractors were recently seen on site.
Fat Face left Cornmarket once the Jesus College scheme got under way.
The chain, which also has stores in Abingdon, Witney and Didcot, has submitted a planning application to the city council to replace the shop front entrance doors and glazing.
The unit was the home of discount clothing brand Primark until it moved into a bigger premises in the Westgate Centre.
The Clarendon Centre, off Cornmarket, received a boost last month when discount clothing chain TK Maxx opened a new store in the former Zara premises.
READ AGAIN: Can Debenhams survive in Oxford as chain goes into administrationIn the year after the opening of the £440m Westgate Centre in October 2017, Oxford city centre saw an overall increase in footfall of 8.9 per cent.
Footfall in Cornmarket fell 4.6 per cent but Queen Street benefitted from a 38 per cent increase.
Britain’s high street suffered its worst May on record last month as sales plummeted by 3.3 per cent compared to last year.
Fashion store sales were hit hardest.
Department store chain Debenhams, which has a branch in Cornmarket, went into administration in April.
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