Skopes is a family-owned business specialising in men’s suits and formalwear. Founded in Yorkshire in 1948, Skopes are also celebrating their 75th anniversary this year. The business was originally founded by Sydney Cope, while his son Geoffrey took over the running of the business in the 70s and now his grandson Simon is at the helm.
The Metrocentre Gateshead store, situated on the Lower Platinum Mall, opposite JD Sports, is the 18th store opening for the £32 million turnover Yorkshire based business.
The sponsorship will see Skopes sponsoring a series of races across the first and second day of the Northumberland Plate Festival and further activity is planned throughout the year. The Northumberland Plate Day takes place on Saturday 1st July, Newcastle Racecourse’s famous race day is one of the most popular meetings in its calendar which includes a two-mile heritage handicap worth £150,000 - the richest two-mile handicap in Europe.
Helen Scott, business manager at Newcastle Racecourse, said “We are delighted to partner with Skopes and launch our partnership ahead of the 2023 Northumberland Plate Festival. Encouraging racegoers to dress for the occasion is a real focus for prestigious events, and with Skopes opening their new store in the Metrocentre, their collections will inspire the crowds to dress to impress”.
Nick McGlynn, Head of Buying & Brand Communication at Skopes, said “We’ve had our eye on the Metrocentre for several years having previously traded very successfully there as a concession within House of Fraser before it’s closure, and when this location became available, we jumped at the chance to reestablish ourselves in such a prime site. Similarly, when we looked around for partnerships in the area the racecourse and the Northumberland Plate Festival in particular was a no-brainer, as the event and the environment perfectly match our own values.
As we like to say, we’ve been keeping the nation dapper for the past 75 years, and now getting the North East “Ready For The Races” is our pleasure and privilege!
