Full list of chains OPENING stores including Primark and B&M – is one coming to your high street?

HIGH streets have taken a battering in recent years as shops shut across the UK – but it’s not been all doom and gloom.

Recent data from the Centre for Retail Research suggests around 120,000 workers lost their jobs in 2023, as over 10,000 shops closed.

Some of the biggest names to take a hit were Wilko, which collapsed into administration in August, and stationery giant Paperchase.

It comes as retailers battle against high energy and wage costs, while households are increasingly turning to online shopping.

But it’s not been all bad news – a number of retailers are expanding their store portfolios following positive periods of sales.

More than a dozen chains including well known names like Primark and B&M are bucking the trend and opening branches across the UK.

From Asda to Primark, Nike to Sainsbury’s, here’s all the brands bringing stores to shoppers over the coming months and years.

Asda

Asda said it will open 110 smaller Express convenience stores by the end of February as part of major expansion plans.

It comes with the retailer set to turn 470 sites acquired from the Co-op and EG Group into Express stores by the end of March.

The supermarket chain had converted 259 locations by the end of January.

The Express stores are small, local stores, rather than large superstores which are often out of town, offering both branded and own-label products.

Primark

Last week, Primark confirmed plans to open new branches and invest and renovate more than a dozen of its existing shops.

It comes as part of a £75million investment in its UK store estate.

Primark previously revealed new shops will pop up in Bury St. Edmunds, Teesside Park and Glasgow Fort in 2024.

Meanwhile, branches are set to open in Epsom and Newbury in 2025, eventually taking the retailer’s store portfolio to 195 stores across the country.

Wilko

Wilko has already launched a comeback on the high street, opening stores in Plymouth, Luton and Exeter before the end of 2023.

The retailer, which collapsed into administration in August last year, has plans to pull up the shutters on more.

CDS Superstores, which trades as The Range and Wilko, has previously said it could reopen dozens more Wilko branches.

Speaking to local media last year, Alex Simpkin, chief executive of The Range, said it had plans to open around 50 Wilko stores.

Several of the sites are expected to open in 2024, although exact opening dates have not yet been revealed.

B&M

In January, B&M said it had plans to open 17 new sites in 2024, with some set to open imminently.

The discounter has already pulled up the shutters on branches in Stourbridge, Allestree and Loughborough.

But it is also set to welcome in customers for the first time to stores in Arnold, Beaumont Lays and Gunness.

The retailer currently runs over 660 stores but has a long-term target of 950 sites across the country.

Peacocks

Peacocks is set to open three branches in Winchester, Ripon and Bexhill, although exact opening dates have not yet been revealed.

It comes after the retailer opened stores in Marple and Penarth.

The huge fashion chain collapsed into administration in November 2020 after the pandemic saw high streets fall quiet.

In April the following year, 200 of its over 420 stores were saved when it was bought out of administration by an international investment consortium, but 200 stores closed.

However, it has been slowly rebuilding its store portfolio which now stands at around 350 stores.

M&Co

Another retailer to meet its end in recent years, M&Co fell into administration for the second time in two years in December 2022, with its brand and intellectual property sold to Yours Clothing.

In June 2023, the brand announced it was planning to open 50 physical M&Co stores over the following two years in a surprise turnaround.

The stores were originally set to open last autumn, but this has been delayed so far.

It’s not yet clear where the stores will be located or when they will open their doors.

Nike

Major sports brand Nike is set to open a new store within just days.

The retailer, which currently runs 40 UK stores, will pull up the shutters at the Teesside retail park site on February 22.

The new “Nike Unite” store will offer customers click and collect service, self-service checkouts and more.

Sainsbury’s

The UK’s second biggest supermarket has unveiled plans to add 75 convenience stores to its already 800-strong estate.

It will also roll out rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging points to more than 100 stores by the end of its 2024-25 financial year, up from 20.

It comes as the chain revealed it would overhaul its supermarkets with a focus on creating more food space and slash costs by £1billion over the next three years.

Chief executive Simon Roberts said: “We’re determined to be first choice for food, ensuring more customers in more of our stores can enjoy more brilliant Sainsbury’s food.

“That means more space for our food offer, while still delivering the general merchandise products customers want from us.”

Sainsbury’s owns Argos, and has closed several of these stores in recent months and moving concessions in to nearby supermarkets instead.

WHSmith

Last month, WHSmith revealed it will open 15 new stores across the UK.

But the new branches won’t be found on the high street and instead are in airports, railway stations and hospitals.

The retailer revealed the plans in an update to investors, saying the new branches will open in 2024.

But it has not yet said exact opening dates and locations.

It forms part of wider plans from the retailer to open 110 new shops worldwide.

Previously the boss of the retail stalwart said it doesn’t expect to open any high street locations and is focused on more profitable travel locations.

It has even closed some of the town centre locations in recent months, but does have around 1,400 branches.

Costco

Costco is planning to open 14 new warehouses across the UK in the next two years.

Sites are set to open in Chelmsford, Colchester, Exeter and Preston.

It is understood they could be completed by 2025, although some stores could be delayed if the acquisitions take longer than planned.

Costco currently has 29 stores across the UK including in Leeds, Derby and Croydon.

The 15 proposed new sites will take its portfolio to 44.

Weird Fish

Weird Fish, a fashion chain sold by Next, is to open ten new stores in 2024.

The British firm said it was targeting market towns, city centres and holiday resorts.

The Lake District in Cumbria and surrounding areas such as Liverpool and Manchester are among priority areas ahead.

Sephora

Beauty Sephora is set to open its third UK store in Manchester this summer.

Once it opens, it will be the beauty retailer’s first store in the north of England.

Sephora announced the opening in Instagram post, writing: “You heard correctly — Sephora is coming to the Trafford Centre, Manchester.

“Get your shopping baskets ready as we’re on our way up north! More to be revealed soon, see you in 2024…”

It came after Sephora opened its second store in November last year at Westfield Stratford, and first in Westfield, London, in March 2023.

Hobbycraft

Hobbycraft, which currently has around 100 stores, is pulling up the shutters on four more within weeks.

The retailer, known for selling art, knit, stitchwear and more will open branches in several different locations.

A branch in Salisbury will welcome in customers for the first time on February 27, while another in Selly Oak will open on March 5.

Two branches in Dunstable and Bagshot will open on March 12 and March 26 respectively.

Home Bargains

Discounter chain Home Bargains, which currently runs over 500 UK stores, is welcoming in customers to a new branch within days.

The store at the Pompey Centre, Portsmouth, will open to shoppers on February 17.

It comes after TJ Morris, which runs the Home Bargains stores, said it would take over all Quality Save stores after buying out the brand in January.

TJ Morris was established over 40 years ago by Tom Morris, opening its first store in Liverpool.

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