An empty former Toys ‘R’ Us at the Metrocentre is finally set to be demolished.
The vacant toy store has been left disused since the company ceased trading in April 2018. But it now looks set to be torn down and replaced by three new modern units, in the hope of attracting new retailers to the area. Gateshead Council’s planning committee unanimously approved proposals on Wednesday for the old Toys ‘R’ Us to be demolished and a row of new stores to be built in its place.
Similar plans to flatten the former family favourite shop had also been signed off in 2019, but have never come to fruition. A planning application from the Metrocentre Partnership said that the dated and “poor condition” of the Pinetree Way store has not generated enough interest from prospective tenants who could give it a new lease of life, with the new plans aiming to “revitalise the retail park with a fresh new practical space and a sleek modern visual presence”.
