A fashion retailer, Mint Velvet, has received approval from the city council to open a new store at the current location of Dr Martens in Norwich’s Castle Street. Despite the shoe giant claiming it has no plans to leave, Mint Velvet has obtained permission from the building’s owner to display its branding at the site and refurbish the store’s interior and exterior in the brand’s style. Norwich City Council has also given the retailer the green light to “refurnish and rebrand” the store. Mint Velvet, founded in 2009, markets its style as “relaxed glamour” and currently has a concession in Jarrolds, as well as about 50 standalone stores in the UK, with plans to open six new outlets this year.
The staff at Dr Martens have stated that they were unaware of the plans for Mint Velvet to take over their store, and the company itself has previously stated that it does not have any plans to move or close. A Dr Martens spokesman had mentioned in September that they had received no contact from Mint Velvet or the city council and reiterated that the company had no plans to close. When contacted for an update, both Dr Martens and Mint Velvet declined to comment. The application to open the Mint Velvet store in Norwich has stated that the retailer does not need permission from the council to start trading from the premises, as it is already a shop and there would be no change of use. As a result, there is no requirement for the council to contact Dr Martens about this situation.
Upon receiving approval from the city council, Mint Velvet is hoping to open in the Castle Street store currently occupied by Dr Martens, despite the shoe giant’s claims that it has no plans to leave. The application documents state that Mint Velvet has obtained permission from the building’s owner to display its branding at the site, and Norwich City Council has given the green light to “refurnish and rebrand” the store with a refurbished interior and exterior in the brand’s style. Dr Martens opened its Norwich store in 2013, making it the UK’s largest at the time, and becoming known for its unique style and large employee base.
