New retailers coming to the Riverside Park

As we exclusively revealedon Twitter, Maplin the electronics retailer, Sporting Pro and Poundstretcher have all committed to open stores at the park, creating over 75 new jobs for the area.

The rapid expansion of Maplin’s retail network has taken the store total to in excess of 215 stores in the UK and Ireland, and they sell a unique range of more than 15,000 electronics products.

Sporting Pro, the new sports fascia owned by value fashion chain Matalan, is opening in Coleraine as part of its first tranche of stores.

The first ten locations it will open in the next two months. Initially, three stores have opened in Walsall, Coleraine and Harlow and another seven stores are set to open across the UK within the next two months.

The retailer aims to open 14 stores this autumn, creating 370 jobs.

Head of Sporting Pro and former JJB chief executive Tom Knight said: “Our first stores are near completion and we’re looking forward to seeing the public’s reaction.”

The shops will feature printed flooring resembling sports courts, pitches and running tracks and stores will be split into categories including team sports, outdoor, racket sports, running and junior and have a strong women’s presence with an “extensive range” of footwear, clothing and sports equipment.

Finally Poundstretcher which is one the UK’s leading discount retailers of products for the home is due to open a new store in November.

The discounter has a network of more than 400 retail stores across Britain which stock a wide range of great value homewares.

Mark Thallon, Retail Partner at the scheme letting agents TDK. said: “These new names in addition to the openings last year of Frankie & Bennys and Costa Coffee firmly establish Riverside Retail Park as one of the premier retail locations in Northern Ireland.

We are also at an advanced stage of discussions with an occupier for the last remaining unit and hopefully after this concludes we will be able to put up the fully let signs which is not something many schemes can boast in the current climate”