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The Flannels hoarding on Queen Street has been replaced with a Sports Direct / USC / Game hoarding. Have the Frasers Group boycotted their plan to open a luxury Flannels department store on Queen Street and chosen to use the space for a large Sports Direct instead? Anybody have any intel?

The Frasers Group have submitted a planning application for Sports Direct signage on the units previously earmarked for Flannels on Queen Street.

jonnywill25 wrote:The Frasers Group have submitted a planning application for Sports Direct signage on the units previously earmarked for Flannels on Queen Street.

How disappointing, slightly better than being empty maybe!

Hugely disappointing. Cardiff and Leeds were next in line for Flannels Flagships. Would have been a huge boost for Queen St. Have they shelved plans for Cardiff flagship entirely or just in that location?

Sport Direct will be the main umbrella brand of the unit but there will also be concessions for USC, Game and Evans Cycles (which brings into question the Evans shop on Dumfries Place).

It's certainly a more sensible decision. The chances of such a large Flannels store being sustainable were always low as far as I'm concerned.

Both the Cardiff Bay and Queen Street branches of Wilko have been listed for closure in the next few weeks.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/li ... iness-live

Market Halls, a food court operator, is looking at 20,000 sq ft site in Cardiff with a view to opening next year.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/london-food-hall-company-confirm-27742722

They aren't naming the site but there are several possibilities I think;

* Grand Arcade - there are a lot of large empty units on the ground floor, former Hamley's and the former Clas Ohlson.

* Capitol - basically all of it is available although I think it needs a massive remodelling.

* High Street Arcade - this development seems to have ground to a halt, something like Market Halls could utilise a lot of the courtyard and planned units surrounding.

Unlikely for next year;

* Howell's - This is a 2 year project so won't be completed in time for a 2024 opening.

* Debenhams - no plans have been released for what Land Securities plan to do with this, so this will be a couple of years away at least.

Can anyone think of any other potential sites?

There's the old food courst space in what was Queen's West but I guess they'd want something more high profile than that. I guess it's a bit early for Central Quay.

It sounds like Market Halls would be exactly what Thackery would be looking to occupy the 'Bethany' building in the Howells redevelopment? Maybe the development of that section be accelerated to accommodate Market Halls or they could delay opening until the Bethany building was available?

jonnywill25 wrote:The Frasers Group have submitted a planning application for Sports Direct signage on the units previously earmarked for Flannels on Queen Street.

Here's a link to a drawing of the new signage, better than empty shops I guess but a bit of a let down after the Flannels plans

https://www.cardiffidoxcloud.wales/publicaccess/files/61CC2F18AE704FD5D7CEA0480E1A5EC7/pdf/23_02242_DOC-PROPOSED_SHOPFRONT_ELEVATION_FINISHES_AND_SIGNAGE-5911273.pdf

Does anyone know if the Sports Direct in St. David's is closing?