A week on the high street
A Week On The High Street from the Local Data Company brings you the latest retail and leisure location news from around the United Kingdom.
- The Co-Operative Group has acquired 632 branches from Lloyds Banking Group. This is to include all Cheltenham & Gloucester branches and all Lloyds TSB branches in Scotland. The branches will be renamed TSB and eventually move to The Co-Operative Bank fascia.
- Papa John’s has announced the opening of five new stores across the UK. It has opened outlets inEnfield, Broxbourne, Leamington Spa ,Guildford andManchester, taking its number of outlets to 188. The company plans to have 200UK outlets by the end of this year.
- London 2012 has opened the largest pop up shop ever on Rotten Row, south ofHyde Park. The shop is the only location outside the Olympic Park where fans can buy London 2012 official Olympic Venue Collection merchandise.
- Victoria’s Secret has now confirmed the opening dates of itsUK stores after postponing last week. The first store will open on July 24th at Westfield Stratford, with theBond Street flagship store to be opened ‘a couple of weeks later’. The exact date is still to be confirmed.
- Homeware and fashion retailer Ethel Austin, which also trades as Life & Style, has been placed into administration. This is the fourth time the retailer has been in administration in as many years.
- Poundland has announced it will open a store in Billericay just one week after denying it. The new store will be situated on the High Street in the former Somerfield store and is due to open in the next couple of weeks.
- Marks & Spencer’s first bank branch opened its doors in their Marble Arch store this week, offering seven-days-a-week banking facilities and a pager service meaning customers can carry on with their shopping instead of queuing. The store and bank will be open until11pm during the Olympics.
- Fast food sandwich retailer Subway is in talks to open aUK franchise school for the first time. It is currently in talks to open an outlet at the sixth formcollege of Parrs Wood High School in Didsbury.
- Shoe designer Christian Louboutin has announced plans to open his first men’s boutique inLondon this November. The store will be situated on Dover Street and will offer mens shoes and bags.
- Asics, the running and sportswear brand, has opened its largest store to date onOxford Street. It is the second standalone store in theUK. The brand aims to open further branches inLiverpool and Birmingham.