Potential Tenants bid for old Woolworths store in Royston
CLOTHING giant QS may be on the brink of taking over Royston s old Woolworth s store. The firm is looking to open one of its new Store 21 outlets, which sell clothes and household items, and is in discussions with the vacant shop s landlord. A deal has ye
CLOTHING giant QS may be on the brink of taking over Royston's old Woolworth's store.
The firm is looking to open one of its new Store 21 outlets, which sell clothes and household items, and is in discussions with the vacant shop's landlord.
A deal has yet to be signed, and other parties are also interested in taking over what is the biggest unit in the High Street.
Royston town centre manager Geraint Burnell said: "I understand QS is interested, as are some other serious bidders.
"There have been offers to the landlord in the past which he has turned down because they were not from the kind of outlets which would suit the Royston community.
"He wants to be sure he is getting the right tenant, not just from a financial perspective.
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"From my point of view, we would welcome a high profile retailer like QS to the town if it were to be successful in its bid," he said.
A spokesman for QS confirmed that it had made einquiries about the shop, which has stood empty since January 2009.
She said: "Nothing has been signed and sealed but we do have a strong interest and our legal team is talking to the landlord of the premises in Royston at the moment."
The news that the old Woolworth's store could soon be filled again will come as a welcome boost to Royston High Street, as property agent Kitchen La Frenais has spent a year trying to find tenants for the shop.
Several companies had been linked with a move to take over the empty premises, with Tesco, Primark, and Wilkinsons all reported to have shown some interest.
Tesco appeared to rule itself out last year when the chain's chairman Sir Terrence Leahy wrote in a letter to campaigner Terry Hutt that it had assessed the site but decided it was "not appropriate" for its needs.
