Business

VILA creates 10 jobs as it adds to CastleCourt fashion mix

Danish fashion house VILA opens a new state-of-the-art outlet in CastleCourt this Friday
Danish fashion house VILA opens a new state-of-the-art outlet in CastleCourt this Friday Danish fashion house VILA opens a new state-of-the-art outlet in CastleCourt this Friday

POPULAR Danish fashion house VILA is to open a unit in Belfast's CastleCourt shopping centre this Friday in an initial £200,000 investment which is creating 10 jobs.

Founded in 1994 and hugely popular in the UK, Germany, Austria and Norway for its classic Scandinavian designs and affordable prices, VILA has 110 retail chain stores across Europe.

It follows UK fashion and home ware retailer Matalan to CastleCourt, which opened its first city centre outlet on the island of Ireland at the centre in late October.

VILA’s new flagship ground level CastleCourt store will showcase 2,300 square feet of contemporary retail space featuring women’s clothing, footwear, accessories, bags and belts, jewellery and lingerie.

The latest CastleCourt signing increases the growing variety of retail stores, cafés and eateries in the centre to more than 90, which includes Debenhams, Dorothy Perkins, New Look, Argos and Boots.

Michael Wright, director of asset management at CastleCourt owners Wirefox, said: “We're delighted VILA has chosen to invest in Belfast as part of its European expansion programme.

“Attracted by a strong city centre location, strong footfall growth and further planned investments in an enhanced shopping environment, this signing means that we are well on the way to approaching our full capacity target and to ensuring that CastleCourt retains its premier retail ranking in the UK and Ireland.”

Wirefox/CastleCourt were represented by Savills, whose associate director Darren Best added: “VILA offers a new and exciting fashion dimension to CastleCourt which already caters for a wide range of customers.

“CastleCourt remains one of Northern Ireland’s busiest and most popular shopping destinations and has demonstrated its popularity with national and regional occupiers seeking to expand their business in Belfast.”