Clinton Cards to leave Walsall high street
Clinton Cards is to open a new store at Walsall's Crown Wharf Shopping Park by the end of May, as it becomes the latest chain to leave the high street for an alternative base outside the heart of the town.
Clinton Cards is to open a new store at Walsall's Crown Wharf Shopping Park by the end of May, as it becomes the latest chain to leave the high street for an alternative base outside the heart of the town.
Bosses at the card seller have revealed they expect to launch the shop within two months after being informed their proposals could go ahead without the need for fresh planning permission.
It means the Clinton branch in Park Street will close later in the year.
Walsall has one of the highest rates for empty shops in the country with one in four currently unoccupied in the town centre.
Top Shop has already left Park Street and River Island has revealed it is looking to relocate to the Crown Wharf, near to the multi-million pound Tesco store.
The council has received a £100,000 cash boost from the Government to tackle the issue of empty town centre units. Most of the positions at the new 9,300 sq ft Clinton store will be filled by staff from existing branches and there are no plans for job losses.
The other Clinton shop in the Saddlers Centre is due to remain under the shake-up. Scott McLean, spokesman for Clinton, said: "Our aim is to open the new store by the end of May. The Park Street branch will be closed later in the year."
