The empty John Lewis store on the edge of York look finally to have found a tenant after nearly three years.

The prestigious venue next to Marks and Spencer at the Vangarde Centre did not re-open after the Covid-19 related lockdown of early 2021 and has been empty ever since.

But now Go Outdoors has submitted plans to city of York for signage concerning the site at Unit C, Vangarde Way, Huntington.

The move marks some uncertainty for Go Outdoors in York, ever since it announced plans to relocate from Foss Bank in 2021.

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The leisure  retailer had planned to relocate to the former Argos unit at the Clifton Moor shopping centre on Hurricane Way.

But that will now become a Oxygen trampolining centre, which is due to open on February 12.

Go Outdoors opened at Foss Bank in 2011- the building was previously a Homebase.

The former John Lewis store at the Vangarde Centre opened in April 2014 and closed during the pandemic, along with seven other John Lewis stores when the lockdowns wiped out all the company’s profits. More than 200 people lost their jobs at the site.

Savills began marketing the site in May 2022.


The premises, which cover 65,000ft2 of ground floor and 63,000ft2 on the first floor had been advertised as having an annual rent of £1.82m, exc VAT, Rates, Service Charge and instance. Rates payable were £844,800 a year and the service charge £174,531.28.

No further details as to the Go Outdoors store are given in their planning application to City of York Council.

Asked for more details about its plans for the site, a spokesperson for Go Outdoors told the Press: "I can confirm our relocation is progressing but there’s things that are pending and require confirming."