Derbion boss: Plenty more shops arriving in coming months

CITY SHOPPING CENTRE HAS SEEN A NUMBER OF CHANGES IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS

- By OSCAR FISHER

THE managing director of Derbion has said shoppers can expect “plenty more openings” in the new year as she looks ahead to 2026.

Beth McDonald, managing director at the city shopping centre, says more than 215,000 sq ft. of new lettings were agreed during the past year with the arrivals of Crew Clothing, Seasalt, Luke 1977 and Victoria's Secret.

Derbion has also completed its Eastern Gateway development and the opening of a new skate park and padel court.

Work on a new Primark, near the Albion Street entrance, is under way - but this did not come without issue.

Business owners in Albion Street complained in mid-November that the entrance at the end of the street, which is one of Derby's busiest in terms of footfall, had been closed “without notice” - and is expected to remain closed until 2027, when the new Primark, relocating from its Cornmarket site, is set to be complete.

At the time, Ms McDonald acknowledged that the temporary closure was “inconvenient” and an apology was issued, but she labelled it a “necessary step to safely prepare for the arrival of Primark”.