Bradford Sportsshoes shop to close after rent rise

11:00am Friday 4th May 2012 in News

Bruce and Brett Bannister at their Sportshoes shop in Bradford Bruce and Brett Bannister at their Sportshoes shop in Bradford

An iconic Bradford sportswear shop founded by former Bradford City footballer Bruce Bannister will close at the end of July after failure to agree terms on a new lease.

The Sportsshoes business will focus on its expanding Shipley-based online and mail order operations through which it sells goods to customers in 100 countries.

Its head office and distribution centre for 3,000 products employs about 80 staff in Thackley Old Road, which has twice been extended and doubled its workforce in recent years.

The 14 staff at Bradford’s oldest independent sportswear store are being offered the chance to transfer to the purpose-built Shipley site.

The 16,000 sq ft shop in Hall Ings will close for the final time at the end July, following the termination of its lease agreement with landlord and car park operator, NCP.

Founder Bruce Bannister criticised the property agents for demanding an unrealistic rent, saying they were comparing Bradford with a suburb of London.

His son Brett, managing director, said negotiations over the lease had been continuing for 18 months, but the parties had been unable to reach agreement and the new rent would not have been commercially viable.

The Sportsshoes, store opened in 1982 to offer a selection of sports footwear, clothing and accessories, has become an institution for many customers who had access to expert staff as well as extensive product ranges.

Brett Bannister stressed the store closure was not due to declining business. The company has continued to grow year-on-year sales both in the UK and overseas, and direct sales now accounted for about 90 per cent of trade. The firm sells more than 250,000 pairs of trainers a year and dispatches more than 350,000 orders worldwide.

The Bannisters have not ruled out opening another shop if a suitable site could be found at the right cost.

Bruce Bannister said: “As a Yorkshire businessman, born and bred in Bradford, I’m passionate about my home city and the store is close to my heart. So it is with great regret that we have to announce the closure of our Sportsshoes retail unit.”

Comments(18)

angry bradfordian says...
11:42am Fri 4 May 12

I'm surprised the millions of extra visitors to the City Park won't cover the cost of the rent increase!

It seems like madness by the landlords because I can't see anybody else rushing to open a business in that location, so another number to add to the empty shop statistics

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____JB says...
11:55am Fri 4 May 12

Shame, as someone who got into running in the last couple of years I really appreciated the customer service I got there. They provided informed advice about which running shoes would suit me (which is THE thing to get right if you're putting the miles in) and the things didn't cost a bomb either. To need to close in spite of a good customer base must really disappointing for this that have put a lot of work into the place.

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flashdonut says...
12:00pm Fri 4 May 12

Terrible shame.
.
Really hope they can open another outlet store somewhere. Even if it is a lot smaller, it is the only really dedicated 'sports' footwear shop in this City. JD et all are more fashion stores.

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I can see clearly now... says...
12:59pm Fri 4 May 12

I have bought several pairs of trainers from Sports Shoes and it's a real shame they are closing because it was a good sales experience and getting the right pair of shoes is so important. Best of luck to Bruce & Brett.

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Joedavid says...
1:16pm Fri 4 May 12

Surprised it being so near to the City Park.
Probably why rent went up.
:-)

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Stanglienne says...
1:22pm Fri 4 May 12

This is such a huge shame. It was Sportshoe's customer service that got me past the sore legs stage and into being a regular runner -- I for one will miss them and hope they find a new space for an outlet.
It's not like there's businesses queuing up to take up retail space in the city centre.... sound like a massive item goal for the landlord, who wool now have an empty unit on his hands for the foreseeable, instead of a successful independent business paying him rent every month.

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citizen smith says...
1:28pm Fri 4 May 12

This is exactly the kind of shop that Bradford Council should be working hard to keep in the city. If/when Wastefield is ever completed it will be full of the usual high street stores that shoppers can find in any town. Stores like Sportsshoes are the ones that will bring shoppers to Bradford.
There needs to be a radical change of thinking about what Bradford could offer for the future. The long gradual destruction of the retail sector in Bradford city centre has pushed people away and they are well established in shopping in Leeds, Halifax, Huddersfield, Wakefield etc. There needs to be a massive rethink about what Bradford can offer, average high street stores in an ever diminishing Westfield development will not bring shoppers back.

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councilhouselad says...
1:31pm Fri 4 May 12

Another nail in the coffin of Bradfords rapidly declining retail offer. An empty city with lots of open space and now extra car parking capacity. Sports Shoes should do themselves a favour and relocate to Leeds, like numerous other forward thinking businesses, who were once proudly Bradford based.

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Farsley Bantam says...
1:36pm Fri 4 May 12

I was once in the shop (probably 15 years ago now) and Edinho was in there watching a video of himself scoring goals. He was trying to get other shoppers to watch and he was cheering every goal!

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Old Peculiar says...
2:02pm Fri 4 May 12

I remember this store opening, and recall seeing queues over the earlier years when they've brought celebs in for signings. Unfortunately they have suffered as a result of their location, they are at the quiet end of a quiet town. Hopefully, relocating, concentrating on websales, will give this customer a long and prosporous future. As for Bradafut - another empty shop.......

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Michael Manus says...
2:04pm Fri 4 May 12

A real shame this shop was a great example of excellent customer service and excellent products. The only reason I ever went into Bradford was to buy sportswear from this shop. Good luck guys such a great loss to Bradford retail.

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spudulike says...
2:11pm Fri 4 May 12

agree with all here,sportshoes was a great shop,last buy was an exercise bike,customer service second to none,real shame its shutting,open another out of town please

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jim75 says...
2:58pm Fri 4 May 12

A real shame.Great shop,great customer service and iconic in bradford.Sadly missed.

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Avro says...
5:02pm Fri 4 May 12

Another high profile loss to the city centre, with no end in sight and no prospect of Wastefield making up the shortfall any time soon!

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flapper1 says...
8:32pm Fri 4 May 12

Not been near since they told me the reebok trainers i bought for my four year old were not used for the proper purpose when they developed a fault.They should be used for running i was told.

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Andrew_ide says...
10:17pm Fri 4 May 12

Perfect location for you, there are two retail units empty at Morrisons Five Lane Ends, one was JJB. Great location and free parking

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Rambo says...
11:09pm Fri 4 May 12

Another long-term, independent store with expert knowledge sadly gone. The most recent other one I can think of to go was Fattorinis.
.
As a new business owner, these are the people you must support as the public, council and landlords. Not the large national chains with no knowledge of the products and with corporate offices based elsewhere.
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What was the other 'proper' sports shop we had called? Sugg Sports I think - is now Gamestation. What a shame all thats left in that sector are 'sports stores' like JJB and JD....

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arhmen aleg says...
12:41am Tue 8 May 12

Why not buy bradford City Bruce and take over their surplus space for retail.
you were a legend and I still remember your overhead kick in the last minute for a 1 nil against Barnsley in the last minute

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