A NATIONAL chain store in Barrow town centre is due to relocate when it closes.

GAME, in Portland Walk, is undergoing a closing down sale with the shop due to close soon.

It is due to move its products to the nearby Sports Direct in Cornmill Park.

Portland Walk has seen a number of chain stores leave in recent years - including Pandora, Debenhams and Topshop, but several independent stores have opened.

Explaining the closure, a spokesperson for Frasers Group, which owns the video game retailer, said: “GAME Barrow is relocating to our nearby Sports Direct Barrow store, providing customers with access to more of the Group’s brands under one roof.

"The new, elevated GAME store is set to open late spring.”

Paul Hodgson, the manager of Barrow's Business Improvement District, projected a positive outlook for the town centre despite the closure.

"It's always disappointing to see any town centre business close its doors, especially given all the regeneration work being undertaken, such as BAE Systems Portland Walk Campus and the redevelopment of the Market Hall as part of the Levelling Up Fund," he said.

"There have been so many new businesses recently opening or relocating in the town centre including Dodona Sandwich Bar, Brunch.Barrow and Dapper Delights."

It is expected that footfall on Portland Walk will be boosted by the forthcoming BAE campus, which is under development.

Hundreds of apprentices and graduates are due to be stationed at the defence firm's learning hub.

The 'careers inspiration hub' at the campus has already opened.

Game was taken over by Frasers Group – Sports Direct's owner company – in 2019 in a deal worth £52 million, with a number of Game shops having moved into Sports Direct stores around the country in recent months.

Sports Direct closed its store in Dalton Road having opened a second branch in place of DW Sports.

The town centre unit is now home to Lazy Days Home Furnishings, which quadrupled in size having previously operated in Buccleuch Street.