Forward plans for Sports Direct to open larger 'experiential' stores could spell danger among the brand's five Gloucestershire outlets.

Frasers Group plc, Sports Direct's parent company, this week unveiled plans to open larger stores as part of an elevation strategy, with the retail giant looking to open around 10 new flagship centres in the UK and a further 10 in Europe, including flagship 50,000 sq ft stores in Manchester, opened this week, and Dublin,  later this year.

And having signalled a planned consolidation among smaller stores, uncertainty prevails for outlets in Gloucestershire.

Sports Direct currently has a presence at Northgate Street and St Oswald's Road in Gloucester, in Cheltenham's Gallagher Retail Park, Cirencester's Retail Park and on Stroud's Union Street.

Staff may well be measuring floor space soon, because stores with less than 20,000 feet could be in the firing line. Punchline understands that the brand's Cheltenham store, for example, on a lease signed in 2015, measures 10,000 square feet.

Ger Wright, Frasers Group md said: "Where we open any new flagship, we will review 10,000 sq ft and 20,000 sq ft stores locally to see if there is an opportunity for consolidation."

Management, Ms Wright indicated, will look to transfer staff over to new flagship stores if consolidation does occur and where possible.

Frasers Group's strategy is to safeguard consistency of in-store design across its estate, so allowing "storytelling in the right way," said Ms Wright, a former Nike executive.

The brand aims to increase store areas dedicated to football and roll out its Astroturf feature in more regional stores. More broadly, the sports retailer is working on an elevation strategy led by CEO Michael Murray to create the texture of a premium store experience.

This week, Sports Direct opened its 50,000 sq ft flagship in Manchester's Arndale Centre, declaring it its "most advanced store to date".