Matalan’s sports fascia Sporting Pro is to open its first store in central London on Kensington High Street next month.

The store, which is set to open in a former Superdrug shop on the street, will cover 6,000 sq ft across two floors and have a focus on women’s sportswear and football kits. The shop, which will feature printed flooring that resembles sports courts, pitches and running tracks, will also sell sporting footwear, clothing and equipment.

Matalan unveiled plans to launch Sporting Pro in September. Fourteen shops including High Street Kensington are to open before Christmas, with the first openings planned in Walsall, Coleraine and Harlow this month. The retailer is launching an ecommerce operation.

Sporting Pro boss Tom Knight told Retail Week in August that the retailer is targeting more than 100 stores within four to five years as it aims to fill the gap left by JJB.  He added that the stores would be particularly focused on luring women because he believes that the current retail offer doesn’t cater for them.

Sporting Pro is a member of INTERSPORT, a global buying organization comprising over 5,400 retailers in 42 countries.

Kenningham Retail acted for Sporting Pro.

Mason and Partners acted for Superdrug. Savills and MC Retail acted for the landlord.

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