A store within a store is set to open at a York shopping centre.
Plans have been submitted to open a concession of Richer Sounds inside the Marks & Spencer store at Vangarde Retail Park.
Documents submitted to City of York Council reveal “M&S are proposing to enter into an arrangement with Richer Sounds, a comparison goods retailer, for them to occupy a small part of the ground floor”.
Three-metre high partition walls would be installed to house the smaller shop.
A statement says:
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There will be no door or barrier to movement while both Richer Sounds and M&S are open to customers although a lightweight security shutter would be in place at times when the Richer Sounds operation is not open to protect the high value goods.
A new customer entrance to this area will also be created from the external walkway from the front of the unit by replacing the existing fire escape doors with a pair of glazed doors.
Staff to use M&S facilities
“The floor area would not include toilets or kitchen, goods would be delivered via the
M&S servicing area and Richer Sounds staff would have full access to existing M&S backstage staff facilities for rest periods, toilet facilities, catering, and storage lockers.”
The applicants say a precedent has been set for such a development, by the Caffe Nero cafe which operates inside Next at Vangarde.
Richer Sounds describes itself as “the UK’s hi-fi, home cinema and TV specialists”. It already has a store on St Sampson’s Square in York city centre.
Last week its founder Julian Richer handed over control of the retail chain to staff, giving them large cash bonuses in the process.