The former BHS building in Old George Mall is being refitted for a mysterious 'national retailer', but nobody has said who this might be.

The former British Home Stores shop, at 46-50 Old George Mall, closed down in 2016.

The department store chain went into administration before closing all of its shops the same year.

READ MORE: Salisbury BHS to close as company is wound down

Now, plans have been approved to knock down the dividing wall between BHS and the shop next door, formerly Hotter Shoes (unit 44).

The development will see the two shops merged together into one unit, along with a new shopfront - but signage will have to be approved in a separate planning application.

The escalator will also be removed and placed in a different location, and stairs removed from the Hotter Shoes shop.

The works will also include physical alterations to the outside of the units, installing a new canopy to the loading bay, as well as a "new plant", which most likely involves the equipment that is standard on commercial buildings and similar to that found on many other units in the mall.

READ MORE: Deichmann confirms new shop coming to Salisbury

The plan is for the two shops to be occupied by "a single national retailer" - although the documents do not say who this retailer will be - and the application says that 150 new jobs may be created.

An Old George Mall spokesperson told the Journal that the site is being refitted for "potential future retailers", but would not say any more.

The planning application (ref PL/2021/05841) has been approved for the units.

It was made by Railway Pension Nominees Ltd, the company that owns the Old George Mall, the Journal understands.

The now-vacant units were occupied by BHS until September 2016 and Hotter Shoes until March 2020.

Wiltshire Council declined to comment on the plans, stating that the building is not owned by the local authority.

To view the plans in full, click here.

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