UPDATE: TK Maxx announces new Oxford store

A HOST of high street stores have revealed they are opening new outlets at Oxford's Westgate Centre instead of choosing the rest of the city.

Women’s fashion chain Zara confirmed yesterday that it will close its current outlet at the Clarendon Centre when it opens at the Westgate later this year.

Moss Bros staff in Cornmarket Street also revealed that their store would be closing for a move to Westgate, and Urban Outfitters and Superdrug are both recruiting staff for new Westgate stores.

The announcements came a day after Westgate bosses said they were pleased with footfall figures showing nine million shoppers visited in the six months since opening.

A spokeswoman for Zara parent company Inditex, said: “The relocation and enlargement will happen in the winter. “All current staff will relocate to the new store and we will take on more staff due to the expansion.”

When fashion chain H&M opened at the Westgate Centre it retained its Clarendon Centre store.

Retail expert Keith Slater said it was vital for the Clarendon Centre to bring in another big name to replace Zara as soon as possible.

He added: “We are starting to see more major stores relocate to the Westgate from other parts of the city centre and that is bound to affect footfall and takings.

“City centre managers need to work with retailers to market Oxford as a whole and everything it has to offer because the city needs to bring in more shoppers.

“The Westgate has done quite well in the first six months but it could do even better in terms of getting people in if more marketing was done.

“I think the Westgate and other parts of the centre could be in a good position in 12 months’ time but a lot of hard work needs to be done now to make sure shoppers choose Oxford instead of competing centres.”

A staff member at Zara in Oxford said: “Staff haven’t been told anything yet but we don’t expect the Clarendon Centre store to stay open.”

Traders’ group ROX - Promoting Oxford Business - expressed concern earlier this week about rough sleepers occupying the doorways of vacant stores after chains including Primark in Queen Street relocated to the Westgate.

Spokesman Graham Jones said businesses every day had to ‘clear doorways of detritus before they could open up their premises’.

The Superdrug store in Market Street is part of premises earmarked for redevelopment.

Zara’s new store will be three-storeys.