THE news that another high street retailer will be leaving Darley Street to move to the Broadway centre has been labelled “disappointing”.

Video gaming store GAME will be relocating its store in Darley Street to the shopping centre at the end of the month.

The new store in the Broadway will be larger and have more features than the current unit.

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A spokesman for GAME said: “GAME in Darley Street will be relocating to the Broadway shopping centre in Bradford.

“The exciting new store is planned to open in late June.

“GAME in Broadway will include some great new features such as a gaming arena for our local community of gamers.

“It will also have more merchandise, a larger range of games and PC hardware.”

The move means Specsavers and the Boots store in the Kirkgate centre are the only high street chains left on Darley Street.

Val Summerscales, secretary of the Bradford Chamber of Trade, said it was disappointing that another business had chosen to leave Darley Street.

She said: “It’s very sad another shop is leaving.

“It could be because it has come to the end of its lease.

“The fact GAME didn’t move out of Darley Street straight away indicates to me they might have been on a lease, and they have to go where their customer trade is.

“But, it is sad but at the end of the day it’s a financial decision for the company.”

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She added that Bradford Council has secured grant funding to lure businesses back to Darley Street.

“We have to think positive, the Council has secured grants that might make it more financially viable for businesses.

“We just have to hope the procedures for bringing businesses into the properties will be successful.”

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, executive member for regeneration, planning and transport at Bradford Council, said it was “no secret” that Darley Street needed regeneration.

He said: “Although GAME is moving, they are staying in the city centre so are continuing to show their commitment to Bradford.

“The city centre is evolving due to our changing shopping habits.

“That’s why we’ve taken the initiative and put an option in to buy the old Marks & Spencer store in our redevelopment plans for this part of the city centre.”

He added that the latest move had not affected Council plans for the regeneration of the top of town.

“This doesn’t affect our own proposals and we’re currently out to tender to appoint consultants to advise on the proposed refurbishment of the Kirkgate Market and the creation of a new food-focused market in the former Marks & Spencer premises,” he said.