IKEA has announced plans to open its first Brighton store, after purchasing Churchill Square Shopping Centre for an estimated £145 million.
The new IKEA city store will open on the site of the former Debenhams and marks the latest phase of the retailer's ongoing omnichannel transformation. It is expected to open within two years.
Offering an array of IKEA's most-loved products, shoppers heading down south can choose from 6,000 items on display (3,000 will be available for immediate purchase), as well as in-store planning services for kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms. It wouldn't be a trip to IKEA without a portion of their famous meatballs, so you'll be pleased to know that a Swedish Deli will also form part of the two-storey store.
The move is part of IKEA's strategy to introduce more of its stores into city centres to 'meet the evolving needs of UK households'. Churchill Square, located on the main shopping high street of Brighton, attracts more than 11 million visitors annually, offering both retail stores and dining options.
'We're delighted to continue expanding and investing throughout the UK to make it easier and more sustainable for people to shop at IKEA,' says Peter Jelkeby, CEO and chief sustainability officer at IKEA UK.
'Sussex has long been an area of interest to us, and we really look forward to bringing IKEA closer to where our customers live, work and socialise and becoming a part of this vibrant community.'
Ikea owner Ingka Group has also acquired Chartwell Court, a residential tower block on the site, two attached car parks and a leasehold on a third car park. This forms plans to develop Churchill Square's strong retail fundamentals, supporting Brighton and Hove City Council's drive to establish a thriving local circular economy.
This is the second UK shopping centre now under IKEA's ownership. Hammersmith's Kings Mall Shopping Centre was acquired by Ingka Group in 2019 in a £170 million investment. A new small format store opened within the centre, now known as Livat Hammersmith, in February 2022.
More exciting IKEA store openings are also on the horizon: the highly-anticipated Oxford Street store has been delayed by a year, now due to open in autumn 2024.
