Mountain Warehouse has expanded a key store at the Dalton Park shopping centre on the outskirts of Murton, County Durham.

From this weekend (31 August) the reopened store has almost trebled in size (from 1,800 sq ft to 5,000 sq ft) across two units and now features the retailer’s growing brand Animal.

Animal, the coastal lifestyle brand bought three years ago, has become a successful addition to the retailer’s portfolio. The brand attracts “adrenalin seekers and free-spirited adventurers,” we’re told, and it offers organic cotton tees and hoodies featuring the Animal logo.

As well as having a growing presence in Mountain Warehouse’s major stores, it also has standalone stores in beach towns including Padstow, Falmouth and Bude, and soon-to-open St Ives, Abersoch and Cromer.

CEO Mark Neale said of the brand: “Acquiring Animal has also helped us reach many new customers. The brand is well-loved and we’re reinvigorating it for a new generation.”

For Dalton Park’s owner/operator Global Mutual, the store expansion “aligns with the shopping destination’s ongoing plans to broaden its retail mix by introducing top-tier brands that cater to the diverse needs of its customer base”.

Nicky Lovell, Head of Outlets and Retail Business Development at Global Mutual added: “The opening of Animal at Dalton Park aligns with our plans to enhance our offering in the sports, lifestyle, and coastal categories.

“Animal’s commitment to sustainability and quality resonates with current consumer trends, and we are confident that this will drive footfall and increase dwell time at the centre.”