The Ridings: A dozen new shops set to open this summer, new owner announces

The shopping centre has recently come under new ownership, after being bought in March by Zahid Iqbal, a Leeds entrepreneur and owner of ZH Properties, which redeveloped the boutique Batley Plaza in neighbouring Kirklees, for an undisclosed amount.

Now, Zahid has announced a variety of shops are set to open in The Ridings over the next two months, with the hope of bringing business back to the once award-winning shopping centre.

This month, Tattoo Journey, a tattoo and piercing shop, is set to open in the upper mall, as well as Bella's Children's Boutique GB in the lower mall.

Both stores have a confirmed opening date of May 27.

Also currently being installed is the Wakefield Watch Repair & Sales store, which is expected to open in late June, with dates set to be confirmed soon, in the middle mall.

Also in June, The Ridings’ popular FRESH Smoothie Bar is set to relocate to a bigger unit in the upper mall, from the lower mall, following its success in the centre.

More named stores set to launch soon, with opening dates yet to be announced, are Escapable - Escape Rooms, on the upper mall, and Dixons Milk Ices Official, an ice cream shop, on the middle mall.

Also set to open within the next two months are seven shops which are currently unnamed but are confirmed to be joining the shopping centre.

They are a chicken wing restaurant in the Garden Kitchen, a pizza restaurant in the Garden Kitchen, a designer menswear store in the middle mall, a sweet shop in the middle mall, a ladieswear store in the middle mall, a nail bar in the middle mall and a fried chicken restaurant on Kirkgate.

Zahid said: “We are extremely pleased with the uptake of new businesses coming into the scheme. Our strategy of lowering rents and the centre service charge is really paying off.

"We are in constant talks with businesses and we do still have a small number of units available, from 591 square metres up to 6,877 square metres, and with our low rents and reduced service charge, now is the time to come on board."

Various new shops have already opened in The Ridings including Card Shack, a card and gift shop, which relocated to a bigger unit, and Made and Found in Yorkshire, an independent collective gift shop that features 16 Yorkshire artisan sellers’ work.

"We have also put in a number of new shop fronts to brighten up the centre. We have started a refresh program, bringing colour and elements of the centre as it was in the 80s and 90s with a modern twist,” Zahid added.

"One of the main highlights will be a new free indoor adventure play area for families to use while visiting the centre. This will be open toward the end of summer this year.”

For more information or to enquire on available units in The Ridings, contact [email protected]