A CHARITY plans to open a new store in a large, vacant unit in a Bradford retail park.

British Heart Foundation has confirmed it will open a fashion and furniture store in the former JYSK unit at Manningham Retail Park.

But as part of the move the charity will be closing its store in Westgate, which will shut in the new year.

The new store is expected to open by the end of the year, and the charity said the large car park at the retail park will make it “much easier” to shop at.

The unit in Manningham Retail Park, at the corner of Manningham Lane and Hamm Strasse, is currently vacant after Scandinavian furniture store JYSK shut its doors earlier this year.

The retailer opened on the site with much fanfare in the summer of 2019.

The plans for the British Heart Foundation store were revealed in an advertising consent application submitted to Bradford Council.

The Telegraph & Argus asked the charity for more details of their planned store.

Richard Lay, area manager at the British Heart Foundation, said: “We are relocating from our current store at 50-54 Westgate into a spacious new unit at Manningham Retail Park, which will offer fashion as well as furniture.

“With all our preloved items stocked on one level and a huge car park, it will be much easier to shop and donate with us.

“All being well, the new store should be ready towards the end of the year. We’ll be grateful for any support when we open our doors.”

The retail park has seen some major changes in recent years.

It was once home to Toys R Us and Babies R Us, but the beloved children’s store shut in 2018 after the company announced it was closing down all its stores.

It left JD Gyms as the only business based at the retail park.

But Food Warehouse, a chain owned by retailer Iceland, opened later that year, followed by JYSK the next year.

The park is on the doorstep of the planned 'City Village' development that could see 1,000 new homes built in Bradford city centre.

Much of this residential development will be on the current Oastler Market site – which is due to be demolished in the coming years.