Clothes chain River Island has confirmed it will open in one of two new shops created by the Camp Hopson £6m refurbishment, with Coast already lined up to take the other.

Meanwhile, saucy store Ann Summers is understood to be taking the shop occupied by the Officers Club, which closed last month.

The news should alleviate some of the gloom around town, after breaking the news that H Samuel, QS, Costa Coffee, The Officers Club, Dixons, Sunflower, Soaperior, Sugar and Spice, Bar Cuba, Wimpy and Swift Dry Cleaners were either closing or relocating as the 11-year high street spending boom shows sign of ending.

Although new names such as Laura Ashley, Caffe Nero and Starbucks are recent additions to the high street, Jessops and Argos will be leaving Northbrook Street in the coming weeks, as will jeweller Ernest Jones.

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