Newcastle shopping centre welcomes two independent retailers

Gosforth Central shopping centre on Gosforth High Street in Newcastle is set to welcome two independent retailers.

Forum Books will open its fourth shop, which will trade as The Forth, while Ouseburn-based boutique The Find will open its second location, selling local art and handmade and vintage goods. Both retailers are currently fitting out their stores and are expected to open before the end of November.

The two shops are the first lettings in the former TGJones store, which closed in September and has since been sub-divided into four ground floor units and one first floor unit. Forum Books and The Find have taken two ground floor units, pre-letting 50% of the former TGJones floor space.

The Forth will be the latest bookshop from the team behind Forum Books, which opened its first store in Corbridge in 2011 followed by The Bound in Whitley Bay and The Accidental Bookshop in Alnwick.

The Find has traded on Lime Street in Ouseburn for over three years, with owner Jessica Penrose looking to bring together a collective of local artists, makers, and vintage sellers specifically chosen for Gosforth Central.

The two lettings continue the transformation of the 74,000 sq ft centre which was acquired in 2022 by Monument Real Estate, backed by a consortium of local private investors. Other recent arrivals include artisan bakery Pure Knead, Homeware, South American restaurant Pique, and beauty salon City Retreat.

Tom Wooldridge, executive director and founder of Monument Real Estate, said: “When the centre was acquired, we aimed to create a greater focal point for the community and curate the offer with more independent operators. The Find and The Forth will do exactly that. They are independent, rooted in the North East and full of character, bringing local art, vintage finds and an award-winning bookseller to Gosforth High Street. There’s lots more to come, and we’re looking forward to revealing more new names in 2027.”