Zara in talks over Meadowhall move

The Spanish chain is in talks about taking the former Top Shop/Top Man two-floor unit at the end of Park Lane. It is currently on the upper level of High Street next to the Apple store.

If confirmed, it would be a major boost for Park Lane which has three large empty units: Debenhams, Top Shop and Miss Selfridge, and several small ones. Most recently, a Costa cafe in the mall on the ground floor closed.

Formerly nicknamed the ‘posh end’ due to its upmarket retailers, more recently it has been dubbed the ‘quiet end’ due to a lack of footfall, especially in the evening. But Meadowhall bosses are fighting back. As well as Zara, it is understood they are in talks with department store Frasers about taking the former Debenhams unit. No dates have been confirmed. Clubhouse bar and bowling alley opened last month.

A Meadowhall spokeswoman said: “We’ll share news on any store moves or new openings when we can, however there’s no update at this stage.”

Zara is a Spanish-owned ‘fast fashion’ brand selling clothes for men, women and children. It also has a Zara Home subsidiary.

Meadowhall has 280 occupiers who pay a total of £71m in rent annually. They include Marks & Spencer, Apple, Zara, Lego, Hugo Boss, Flannels and Tag Heuer. It boasts an 11-screen Vue cinema, a 1,200 seat Oasis dining quarter and claims to have more than 50 restaurants including Tapas Revolution, Wagamama, Nando's, Zizzi's and Five Guys.