New stores on board at Waterfront

Published on Thursday 14 March 2002 00:00

A SURF, skateboarding and snowboard store is one of a string of new outlets at Leith’s multi-million pound shopping and leisure complex.

Record store HMV, women’s lingerie specialists La Senza and sandwich-makers O’Brien’s have also been confirmed as new tenants at Ocean Terminal, which has been criticised for failing to attract enough retailers.

Developer Forth Ports is also thought to be in negotiations with several other operators which would see more than 80 per cent of the 65 retail spaces at the complex let out within the next few months.

Debenhams and BHS were the two "anchor" stores in place when the 120 million mall opened its doors in October. More than 100,000 people flooded in through the doors over its first four days of trading.

But many visitors were left disappointed because less that half of the units at the Terence Conran-designed development, just 30 of the 65 available, were filled at the time.

Since then, retailers like Gap, which snapped up the third biggest site at Ocean Terminal, as well as Thomas Cook, The Sock Shop and Au Natural have been lined up. The Gap store is due to open early next month.

The complex also includes a 12-screen Ster Century Cinema, a visitor centre for the Royal Yacht Britannia and the Zinc Bar and Grill, Scotland’s only Terence Conran restaurant.

Centre manager Dennis Jones said the arrival of new retailers confirmed the continued expansion of the centre as a shopping and leisure space.

He said: "The new lets will provide a significant addition to the retail offer at the centre and will be warmly welcomed by our customers.

"Since the opening of Ocean Terminal in October, we’ve always said the centre would be developed on a phased basis and that springtime would see the emergence of several new names.

"We’re now delivering with these new additions and we hope to make an announcement in the near future on further new signings."

Terry Smith, property director at Forth Ports, added: "Ocean Terminal is now beginning to firmly establish itself as a top destination for people looking to enjoy the complete leisure and shopping experience."

The 1800 sq ft S3 store, which will sell a range of fashion gear as well as equipment for outdoor activities, will be the first of its kind in Leith when it opens on March 22.

A spokesman for the company, which deals with brand names like Quicksilver and Billabong, said its only other outlet in Scotland was at the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet in Livingston.

He added: "We’ve only got eight stores in the UK at the moment, including the one in Livingston, but we chose to open our new one at Ocean Terminal because it’s an exciting new development in Edinburgh."

A spokesman for HMV, which is expected to unveiled its 8,500 sq ft store in early May, said a big-name celebrity would "definitely" be lined up to perform the opening door honours.

Ocean Terminal, a joint venture between Forth Ports and Bank of Scotland, is billed as one of Europe’s biggest and most prestigious waterfront shopping developments.