New Sunderland Bridges shopping centre owner seeks leisure outlets

The new owner of a shopping centre says it is looking to entice leisure businesses to the site.

Sunderland’s Bridges Shopping Centre has been sold to Evolve Estates, which is part of the property group M Core.

The company said it wanted to use part of the Crowtree section to create a “great leisure and food and beverage offering”.

A spokesperson for Evolve Estates said it had been speaking to local operators and would be “narrowing down” potential businesses.

Crowtree runs from High Street West to the TK Maxx branch at the junction of Vine Place and Holmeside.

It is currently used by a number of stall vendors, as well as bigger companies such as Schuh, Select and Foot Asylum.

It also houses the former Debenhams store which now stands empty.

Evolve Estates purchased the site from real estate investment managers AEW Europe for an undisclosed sum on 31 July.