Gap has revealed plans to re-enter the UK retail market by launching three new standalone stores. The first flagship store is set to open in Covent Garden on November 6, followed by branches in Westfield London on December 4 and Wembley Park London Designer Outlet on December 12. According to reports from Drapers, each store will carry an assortment of Gap clothing and collections. After originally establishing a presence in the UK in 1987 and subsequently closing its last UK store in September 2021, Gap has continued to operate four shop-in-shop concepts within Next stores in various locations.
Furthermore, Gap maintains over 40 concessions in Next stores throughout England and Ireland, with Next owning a 51% stake in the venture and Gap holding the remaining 49%. Despite closing physical stores, Gap has sustained its online presence. The decision to close Gap’s company-operated stores in the UK and Ireland was attributed to market conditions, with the closure process taking place gradually from the end of August to September 2021. Gap expressed its commitment to supporting and assisting affected colleagues during the transition period.
In related retail news, M&S has disclosed the opening date for its new flagship store in Bristol. The supermarket’s new branch in Cabot Circus, located in Bristol city center, is scheduled to open on November 13. Spanning 80,000 square feet across three floors, the store will offer a range of M&S food, clothing, home, and beauty products. The foodhall will feature an in-store bakery, fresh market offerings from M&S Select Farms, and a variety of sandwiches, salads, and wraps. Additionally, the M&S coffee shop within the store will accommodate 200 seats and serve a selection of breakfast items, sandwiches, coffee, and iced beverages.
The Bristol Cabot Circus store is part of M&S’s larger expansion strategy, with sixteen new stores slated to open across the UK this financial year, including Bath Southgate, as part of a substantial £300 million investment in the brand’s retail footprint.