Work starts on new upmarket fashion store Flannels at Deepdale Retail Park in Preston

Work has begun on a new Flannels store at Deepdale Retail Park in Preston, with further high street retailers set to follow in the same unit.

The upmarket fashion store is on the old Toys R Us site, which has been empty since the toy retailer went into administration in February 2018.

Describing itself as “the biggest luxury retailer you’ve never heard of”, Flannels’ brand catalogue includes Balenciaga, Valentino, Saint Laurent, Off-White, Stone Island, Burberry and Balmain.

As well as the Flannels store, plans submitted to Preston City Council in July 2021 revealed that Sports Direct, GAME, fashion outlet USC and Evan’s Cycles are due to move into the unit, as is an Everlast Fitness Club.

So far signage has only appeared for the Flannels store, although the entire unit remains under refurbishment, having already doubled from its original 44,500 sq. ft. size with plans including the introduction of a new mezzanine floor.

All of these businesses are owned by parent company Frasers Group, whose chief executive is Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley, although the businessman and former Newcastle United owner is set to step down from the executive role in May.

Flannels has been owned by Frasers Group since 2017, after the company bought a majority 51% stake in 2012.

Before 2017, the managing director of Flannel’s was Neil Prosser who founded the brand in 1976 in Knutsford, Cheshire.

There are currently 37 Flannel stores in the UK, including its London flagship, which opened in September 2019.

The nearest Flannels store to Preston at the moment is in Southport.