Mike Ashley’s Frasers sets date to open major new Scottish ‘concept’ store

The group owns Sports Direct, House of Fraser, and a collection of other brands such as GAME, Jack Wills, Sofa.com, Evans Cycle, USC, and Everlast. The new “next-generation” Frasers store will feature a number of these brands.

“The opening of the 70,000sq ft Frasers store next year will be a transformational moment for Overgate, for the city, and for the wider region, regenerating this landmark space with an exceptional retail experience synonymous with Frasers Group,” centre manager Malcolm Angus said. “We are very much advancing the vision and commencement of works at pace.”

Frasers said Overgate has recently signed five new leases with leading high street brands such as Søstrene Grene, which opened last month, and Ranger FC kit supplier Castore, An agreement with a new high street fashion brand and a footwear retailer is also said to be in the final stages of completion.

Other new retailers at the Overgate since its acquisition include Rituals, Pandora, Lovisa, Bee Inspired, and The Leith Collective, while 15 existing leases have been renewed.

“We have had a busy 18 months since Frasers Group invested in the Overgate Shopping Centre, to date bringing over 12 new exciting brands to the centre,” Mr Angus said. “Frasers Group has also renewed leases with the brands we know our customers love, with several so far reinvesting into updating their store aesthetic and product offering.”

Major company board role for former Scottish Enterprise chief executive

(Image: Gordon Terris)

Lena Wilson, former chief executive of economic development agency Scottish Enterprise, has become chair of one of Scotland’s major publicly quoted companies.

Aberdeen-based bus and rail company FirstGroup announced tis morning that, “following a comprehensive search process”, Ms Wilson will be joining its board as chair on February 1 next year.

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Scottish space start-up welcomes Orbex founder to its board of directors

Oren Smith-Carpenter (left), Chris Larmour and Rowland Fraser of Aurora Avionics (Image: Aurora Avionics)

The co-founder and former chief executive of Scottish-based rocket manufacturer Orbex has joined two of his erstwhile employees on the board of directors at their start-up space company.

Edinburgh-based Aurora Avionics, set up last year by former Orbex engineers Rowland Fraser and Oren Smith-Carpenter, has appointed Chris Larmour as a non-executive director. Prior to his surprise departure in May 2023 Mr Larmour raised approximately $100 million (£76.5m) in venture capital and public funding for Orbex, which now employs more than 200 people.

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