A MAJOR high street brand is set to quit a Hampshire shopping centre.

Fashion store Gap, which has currently one of the largest stores in Southampton’s WestQuay Shopping Centre, is to close at the end of the month after 15 years.

This comes just months after the departure of five other major high street names and was described as a blow by a Hampshire business leader.

Gap has been a fixture of WestQuay, operating on three floors, since the £275m venture opened in September 2000.

But a sign outside the store tells customers it is leaving and the store will close on December 31 - news that was confirmed by WestQuay bosses.

The move is a permanent departure with no plans to relocate within the centre, but it is not known whether Gap will locate somewhere else in the city.

Gap were not able to confirm how many staff the store employs.

Centre bosses say talks are already underway to find a replacement retailer but the shopping centre said it was not able to make any announcement at this time.

A spokeswoman said: “It’s a nice-sized store so would be attractive for other potential retailers to come in.”

The nearest Gap store will now be an outlet store at Gunwharf Quays shopping centre in Portsmouth or at Bournemouth.

Five major high street stores were quitting WestQuay earlier this year.

Branches of chain stores Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, Burton, Evans and Miss Selfridge closed in June as their leases ran out in what was described as a shock by business leaders.

The Arcadia Group, chaired by Sir Philip Green, which owns the five brands, said it had reviewed when leases came up for renewal and had found much success through its click and collect service.

These stores have since been replaced by lingerie chain Victoria’s Secret, which opened a 13,000ft store last month - its first on the south coast.

Stewart Dunn, chief executive of Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “It is a blow to lose such a major retailer such as Gap.It follows a succession of blows to the city centre, the loss of BHS, Arcadia and now Gap.

“It reinforces the need to revitalise the city centre through the Business Improvement District which is ongoing.”

He said it reflected retailers’ policy now of looking at leases very carefully and looking to create regional centres and click and collect services. Whilst it’s a blow I’m sure that WestQuay as such a popular destination will attract a further big name,” he added.

“It’s of concern but I don’t think Southampton’s alone - I think there are other city centres that will be facing the same challenges as retailers begin the shift from so many stores on the high street to online.”

Gap was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press.