Thorntons has secured a 15year lease subject to "ve-yearly upward only rent reviews at a rent of £31,500 per annum on a 575 sq ft unit, adjacent to one of the entrances of the scheme and opposite O'Briens Sandwich Bar.

It is the 18th store Thorntons has opened in Northern Ireland and the company now has 400 shops and 180 franchises with a turnover of £160m in the UK and Ireland.

Landlord Craigavon Central Ltd was represented by letting agents Hamilton Osborne King and Thorntons were represented by Churston Heard.

Next is due to open a 20,000 square foot store at the Rushmere centre in the autumn.