Canterbury is set to welcome its first-ever Bangladeshi grocery store which is transforming the former home of a long-running leather fashion store. Bengal Mart is due to open in Palace Street in the near future, with signage for the new business now in place on the red shopfront.

Taking over 7 Palace Street, the property previously housed Leather Fashions, a leatherwear store which operated in Canterbury for more than 35 years before shutting its doors for good at the start of 2020. Following the closure, the space was then occupied by the unique Smile Labo store which ran for five years before closing in June this year.

The Japanese retailer specialised in realistic fake food replicas. Since the closure of its Palace Street store, the business has been making steps to move online and

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