ADMINISTRATORS running a struggling shopping centre have axed its manager, The Northern Echo understands.

The Gates shopping centre, in Durham City, has been in administration since September last year, when Grant Thornton UK LLP were appointed administrators of its parent company, CBRE Retail Property Fund (General Partner) Limited.

The Echo understands Inge Johnson, the Gates manager, has recently been made redundant and an operations manager has taken control of the facility.

The future of other centre staff is unknown. Despite requests, operators Savills UK refused to comment on personnel issues.

Ms Johnson, originally from Edinburgh, became manager of The Gates, formerly Milburngate, in June 2007, having previously been deputy manager.

However, the centre has struggled to fill its retail units. A major gap was left following the closure of an 18,000sq ft Waitrose store in August 2008, although Wilkinson’s opened a 19,000sq ft outlet in its place in March last year.

Richard Morris, spokesman for The Gates shopping centre at Savills UK, said: “Grant Thornton were appointed administrators of CBRE Retail Property Fund back in September 2012, of which The Gates shopping centre was one of eight shopping centres it owned nationwide.

“The running of the centre continues to be handled by Savills UK and we are trading normally at The Gates.”

The other centres are in Ashford, Bootle, Irvine, Leicester and Wellingborough and two in Oldham.

Malcolm Shierson, joint administrator at Grant Thornton, said all the centres were well-maintained and would continue to trade normally.