The Japanese giant behind Pac-Man, Tekken, Tamagotchi and Elden Ring wants to move into one of Clumber Street’s biggest empty shops
Clumber Street might be about to level up.
Bandai Namco, the Japanese entertainment giant behind some seriously massive gaming names, has set its sights on the former Sports Direct store for a new multi-storey gaming, shopping and entertainment destination.
Known as a Bandai Namco Cross Store, the concept brings a whole bunch of the company’s worlds together in one place, with plans for Nottingham including Gundam modelling, Gashapon collectibles, trading cards, tournaments and a family entertainment centre.
And if Nottingham City Council gives it the green light, the city would join a pretty exclusive club: there are currently just two Cross Stores in the UK, in London and Birmingham.
Clumber Street in its heyday was once Europe’s busiest shopping street, but it has been struggling as consumers continue the switch to online retail.
Sports Direct was once one of Clumber Street’s leading retailers up until its closure in early 2025, having relocated to a separate store in Lister Gate months prior.
The old unit has been left empty ever since.
A planning statement says: “The proposed fit-out of 28 Clumber Street as a Bandai Namco Cross Store represents a positive and sustainable investment in a prominent city centre building within the Old Market Square Conservation Area.
“The development will bring a significant destination leisure and retail use to a well connected and publicly accessible city centre building, supporting the vitality and viability of Nottingham’s city centre.”
The very first Bandai Namco Cross Store opened in Japan in 2022.
Bandai Namco says it opened with the aim of provide fans the opportunity to see a number of Bandai Namco offerings under one roof – including new games and character merchandise.
Following its success in Japan, they were expanded to the UK.
Two flagship stores are currently open in London and Birmingham, with Nottingham to become the third if plans are approved by the City Council.
Planning documents show the ground floor would form the primary retail and arrival level, housing a Gundam Assembly modelling, retail, and construction area, and a Gashapon collectible goods vending area.
Gundam Assembly is a competitive table-top miniatures and skirmish wargame, with players assembling and painting plastic sci-fi miniature figures similar to Warhammer 40k.
The first floor would then house the Family Entertainment Centre (FEC), while the second floor would accommodate other sports zones as well as the toilets.
It will provide an area for trading card retail, events, and tournament play.
The plans are currently under consideration by the council.
According to the Land Registry, the unit had been owned by Wirral Borough Council in Merseyside through its Merseyside Pension Fund (MPF).
The building was last sold for £11,740,000 in February 2011.
The MPF has since sold the asset to a private owner.
By Joe Locker (Local Democracy Reporter) and Laura Wilde (Extra Gubbins)
