Dunelm to open first smaller format and paperless receipt store at The Springs Leeds

Following the announcement of two new independent store signings, the owners of The Springs out of town retail and leisure centre in Leeds have announced a further agreement with Dunelm.

The homewares retailer has agreed a deal to occupy a prominent 18,362 sq ft sales store with mezzanine at The Springs. It will be Dunelm’s first new smaller format store in the country and its first paperless receipt store.

Steve Barton, Director of Property at Dunelm, said, “We are delighted to announce that we will open a new store at The Springs Leeds on 1 April. We chose The Springs due to its high-quality environment, and great transport and infrastructure links. It is an ideal scheme for us to launch our new format store that is around half the size of our standard superstore.”

Dunelm was founded in 1979 as a Leicester market stall business selling ready-made curtains. Since opening the first Dunelm store in Leicester in 1984, the company has expanded across the country. It has more than 175 stores and employs 9,000 staff nationwide.

The Springs is a 350,000 sq ft shopping and leisure attraction in Thorpe Park Leeds at Junction 46 of the M1.

Adam Varley, Director at Scarborough Group International (SGI), which is responsible for the development and asset management of The Springs and Thorpe Park Leeds, said: “We are delighted to welcome Dunelm as the latest popular shopping attraction at The Springs Leeds. The store compliments our existing operators for high quality, good value homewares where shoppers can also enjoy a bite to eat, take in a movie or a game of adventure golf at Puttstars.

“Its unique location in the centre of a well-established business park gives it an added edge over other competing out of town retail destinations and is one of the reasons why national and independent retailers are keen to use it as a test bed for new concept stores or flagship premises.”