Bershka to make its North East debut at Metrocentre 

Spanish fashion brand Bershka is to make its North East debut with an all-new store opening at Metrocentre, reaffirming the centre’s position as the go-to retail and leisure destination for the region.

The new store, which will be situated in Red Mall and occupy an impressive 16,000 sq ft, will bring together the brand’s three signature collections – Bershka, Man and BSK for teens – with the latest retail technologies to offer customers a next generation shopping experience.

Bershka is the third big name from fashion retail giant Inditex to sign with the Gateshead complex in as many years, following in the footsteps of sister brands Zara and, most recently, Stradivarius. The new store will bring the group’s total footprint within the mall to more than 65,000 sq ft and see Metrocentre become the only destination in the region to offer all three top brands.

Gavin Prior, Centre Director at Metrocentre, said: “This latest big brand signing is another huge win for our fashion-conscious customers, bringing Bershka’s on-trend collections in womenswear, menswear, and teen clothing, along with footwear and accessories, to the North East.

“It complements an increasingly impressive fashion line-up at Metrocentre, with everything from high street names including Urban Outfitters, Mango, H&M, Flannels, River Island and – opening this summer – Hollister, through to smaller independent brands and boutiques, all under one roof, giving shoppers unparalleled choice and convenience.”

Metrocentre’s ongoing commitment to delivering best-in-class fashion is already proving popular with shoppers, with womenswear sales up 9.8% in January, compared with the same period last year, and overall category sales up 7.4%.

Sales are set to receive a further boost with the opening of The Crescent, Metrocentre’s brand new 10,000 sq ft hub for established and emerging indie brands. Expected to launch in Q2 of this year, the new shopping area will transform a key part of Metrocentre’s Upper Green Mall, creating further opportunities for independent retailers to sit alongside premium big-name brands elsewhere in the centre.