AT LEAST nine Highpoint stores have shut up shop in recent months, with the shopping giant believed to have hiked up rental fees by 30 per cent.

The stores – which include Mollini, Shoobiz, Italian House of Leather, Angus and Robertson and Ezy DVD – have all closed within the last three months.

Six of the nine have reopened with new tenants and Highpoint have advertised that retailers including Sportf1rst, Pulp Kitchen, Tightrope and Hipster will open soon.

It is unknown if Highpoint has found new retailers for the three other stores.

Shoe store Mollini is the latest store to close, with workers given less than a week’s notice to find a new job.

A former Mollini employee said the centre had increased the rental by 30 per cent in February.

The employee said the price hike was part of the reason the company did not renew its lease, but admitted sales had started to dwindle after the Christmas rush.

“Christmas was still busy for everyone, but after that it went downhill. No one shops any more. (Customers only come in) at times when you’ve got to shop like Easter and Christmas.”

The employee said that it was likely more stores would close in coming months when the affects on the new rental fee hit the hip pocket.

Highpoint General Manager Craig Osborne denied a “blanket 30 per cent increase” but would not reveal rental increases in the centre.

Mr Osborne also would not comment on the centre’s store turnover but said Highpoint had not witnessed a drop in sales since the start of the economic crisis.

“As was reported at (property group) GPT’s annual results in February, Highpoint’s turnover for the year to December 2008 was approximately $767 million, which represents 4.4 per cent comparable moving annual turnover,” he said.

“We expect centres such as Highpoint to continue to perform strongly due to its strong position in the market place.”