A CITY centre shop in Southampton has shut suddenly, with a new store set to replace it in a shopping centre.

Staff at Fabric Warehouse in the Marlands Shopping Centre were only given a few days’ notice before the shop shut its doors.

But the manager of the Marlands said the firm had only ever been on a short-term lease.

The terms of the lease involved an agreement which meant it had been terminated when a new long-term retailer was found, according to centre bosses.

Fabric Warehouse opened earlier this year, with Marlands manager Tim Keeping saying the business signed up for a vacant unit in an agreement that saw it pay less rent as it was unoccupied.

However, under the terms of the deal the firm would have to move if a new occupier came forward, which had now happened.

Mr Keeping told the Daily Echo: “They took it on a very flexible basis and it was an agreement that Fabric Warehouse entered into with their eyes fully open knowing that they would have to leave if someone came along with a better offer.

“We have had an offer from an expanding retailer offering full rent.

“We went back to Fabric Warehouse and tried to find them somewhere else in the centre.

“But they were either unable or unwilling to.”

He said he was currently unable to provide any further details of the new store that will replace Fabric Warehouse as the lease agreement has not been completed.

However, he added but that it should open there later this year.

The Daily Echo asked to speak to the manager of the store and was issued with a press release from the company’s head office.

It said they would be trying to relocate the five staff currently employed at the outlet.

A spokesman for Fabric Warehouse said: “The landlord has decided to find an alternative tenant for the store and there were no suitable premises, available at short notice, within the city, to re-locate the store.

“All other Fabric Warehouse stores, including local stores in Winchester, Waterlooville and Woodley, are unaffected by this development and will continue to trade normally.

“The company hopes to be able to transfer some of its five Southampton staff to nearby stores if possible. “ Meanwhile customers who have placed orders at the store have been advised to contact the firm’s headquarters.

A spokesman added: “All customers with outstanding orders, which will be completed in full, will be contacted, but if there are any customers who have queries regarding made to measure orders, please call 0800 316 4408.

“The Fabric Warehouse would like to thank customers in and around Southampton for their custom over the years.

“Further details will be available in the near future as to whether the company will re-open in Southampton.”