Top UK Retail Store openings 

In 2025, a lot of change is happening in terms of shops opening in London and beyond. Our capital City is a wonderful testing zone for any retail concept or new retail design, but also the shopping centres are working incredibly hard to get retail brands innovating there too. And not to mention the outlet malls and parks, pop-up retail spaces and innovation happening in travel retail.

Here is our selection of new and exciting retail shop openings in London and across the UK: 

IKEA Oxford Circus, London– the store finally opened in May 2025. Understandably, the crowds appeared and the feedback so far has been that IKEA have managed to pack a lot into the store, but, it isn’t at all experiential or pushing boundaries, it’s a classic retail shop. I’m sure it will do very very well for the brand, and perhaps they will trial new thinking or pop-ups inside or nearby in the future. 

SKIMS, Regent Street – opening in 2026! Kim Kardashian is opening her first UK store in the former Ted Baker site. We can’t wait for the big reveal. The space is 12,000 square foot and is building an offline presence within Harrods and Selfridges, and they’re doing a co-lab with Nike called “NikeSkims”. The business was valued at $4bn last year, so I’m sure the London flagship will be one to see! (Ref)

Lululemon, Regent Street, London – they have doubled the size! It did feel quite cramped in the lower floor, they do sell a lot of leggings, but what’s great about the space now is it’s 8,923sq ft, has the biggest menswear range in the region (it’s actually their biggest store in EMA), features their signature pant wall, lots of footwear (a growing product range for them) and much much more lifestyle-wear. They had a week-long opening celebration and now are encouraging their community to join in with community sessions at the Vinyl Factory Soho. (Ref)

IKEA Restaurant, Hammersmith, London – who’d have thought King Street, Hammersmith would have an IKEA restaurant where meatball lovers can get their fix, without the flatpack? Formerly a Wasabi location, the restaurant now seats 75 diners, for meatball but they’re also serving fish and chips, pasta and cooked breakfasts? We’re intrigued about how the Swedes do fish and chips, honestly! 

Charlotte Tilbury, Covent Garden, London– another first and another flagship, this time their first ever skin spa. This “world first” Skin Spa offers a service menu consisting of four benefit-led, results-driven facial treatments, created alongside expert facialists and aestheticians, apparently using cutting-edge technology and tools. The shop also features a ‘pillow talk beauty bar’ and ‘pillow talk parlour’ (their iconic lipstick Pillow Talk is now a range, and clearly a movement!). 

Søstrene Grene – trailblazing across the UK at the moment with store openings, they’ve said this month that their aim is 100 stores nationwide by 2027. They opened their Oxford Circus flagship in March 2025 after first opening in Tottenham Court Road in December 2023, and they’re already up to 330 stores across 17 countries. Søstrene Grene group CEO and co-owner Mikkel Grene said: “Customers in the UK have responded incredibly positively to the Søstrene Grene concept.” Between Søstrene Grene, IKEA and Flying Tiger – there’s some great positivity around Nordics coming to restore the British High Streets! 

RE.Uniqlo Studio (within UNIQLO) Coal Drops Yard, London. RE.Uniqlo Studio on the second floor is where customers can recycle, repair or remake their favourite items from the retailer so they can “keep wearing and loving them for longer”. The Uniqlo store opened within Coal Drops Yard near to King’s Cross station a year or so ago, but this feature of ‘RE Uniqlo’ has had much buzz around it. I think it speaks volumes for the brand selling clothes reasonably priced that lasts, and it being a trial will hopefully have great success and help get more customers into the area. Coal Drops Yard has some core tenants, but some retailers haven’t lasted well there. (Ref)

Arc’teryx Covent Garden London – Canadian “technical-wear” retailer has opened their third store in London (previously Chelsea and Battersea Power Station) for their “European Flagship”.  The new 733 sq m store carries the brand’s technical high-performance collections featuring both apparel and equipment, ranging a full spectrum of gear including technical trail, climb, and snow gear, as well as packs, footwear, and the Veilance – Arc’teryx’s collection “designed to navigate and respond to urban environments”. They do (like REUniqlo) have a repair service called ReBird Service Centre but otherwise it looks like a fairly simple store, modern fixtures, lots of natural wood finishes. 

MFI – household furniture brand- making a comeback in 2026. Now owned by Victorian Plumbing, who don’t currently have their own stores at all, MFI who shut down shops in 2008, is apparently opening their first store again next year – watch this space! 

Mango, Dundee, Scotland, which has just opened (May 2025) in the Overgate Shopping Centre, formerly a Frankie & Benny’s unit, spans 350 square metres and is dedicated to Mango Woman.  According to local reports, this is among the first in Scotland to feature a Mediterranean-inspired store design! They have set out a 4E Strategic Plan which foresees 500 new store openings by 2026, and they’re now opening pure homeware stores (starting with locations in Spain).

Newbie, kidswear retailer, is opening six new stores nationwide. This Kappahl-owned retailer has opened so far in shopping centres in and around London (White City, Brent Cross, etc) and now has opened outside of the M25 in Guildford, Bromley opened in May 2025 and Windsor, following soon after. Thomas Kusoffsky, Vice President at Newbie, said: “The British market is exciting and full of potential, and we are eagerly looking forward to continuing our growth journey here.” (Ref)

Cath Kidston, Westfield Shopping Centre, London – they have made a recent comeback! Currently owned by Next plc after an £8.5m deal, the new store is their first physical presence since closing, and they’re really building on their print design and British eccentricity. See a reel here which shows a lot of the store.

And, what’s happening to all the old Debenhams stores? We’ve just read that for the St David’s Shopping Centre in Cardiff, permission has been granted to convert the old Debenhams into a new City Square, housing a splash pad, space for outdoor performances, local street food vendors, markets, and more. Due to open sometime in 2026.(Link)

If you would like to find out how we design retail flagships, British High Street stores, travel retail shops or specialist stores, please get in touch studio@barberdesign.co.uk