Leeds a retail hotspot as upmarket brands flock to city

TWENTY retail brands have taken new stores in Leeds so far this year with a distinct bias towards ‘aspirational’ brands.

According to analysis by Savills, retailers including Zara Home, Samsung, Oliver Bonas and Snow & Rock have all taken new units in the city in 2016, taking the total number of new brands which have arrived in Leeds since 2013 to 118.

There are now around 1,200 independent and chain shops in the city centre, 780 of which are by brands which have at least one store elsewhere, according to Savills.

Steve Henderson, director in Savills retail team, said: “Such is the attraction of Leeds for retailers that it is now one of the most important retail destinations in the country. The trend will continue with the opening of Victoria Gate next month, which is set to be anchored by John Lewis and will bring further upmarket retailers such as Calvin Klein, Anthropology and Cos to the city.”

Tom Whittington, director in Savills commercial research team, added: “The trend for retailers heading to Leeds has accelerated in the past three years, with 15% of all the retail brands present in the city arriving in this time. We expect this only to continue as new schemes open.”