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Published
Oct 24, 2017
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£440m Westgate Oxford opens to the public

Published
Oct 24, 2017

A new shopping destination in the heart of Oxford city centre has opened its doors after two years in construction. The new £440m Westgate Oxford launched on Tuesday with brands including John Lewis, Primark, Uniqlo, Ted Baker and Victoria’s Secret ready to start trading.


Westgate Oxford is the largest shopping centre to open in the UK this year - Photo: The Crown Estate


The shopping centre features 800,000 sq ft of retail and leisure and has been described as “one of the most sustainable retail destinations in the country” by co-owners Landsec and The Crown Estate.

Instead of using conventional boilers, an innovative energy loop delivers heating and cooling to shops and restaurants using air source heat pump, a system that keeps costs down for retailers and reduces reliance on fossil fuels.

The scheme is anchored by a three-storey 140,000 sq ft John Lewis and will house prestigious British and international brands such as & Other Stories, LK Bennett, Loake Shoemakers, Tommy Hilfiger, Molton Brown, White Stuff and Reiss.

About half of the units remained closed on opening day and are expected to open in the run-up to Christmas, but co-owners said the shopping centre is 93% pre-let or in solicitors’ hands.


Acrobatic display on a hot air balloon to celebrate the opening of Westgate Oxford - Westgate Oxford


“In Westgate Oxford, we have embraced the challenge of creating a best in class, sustainable development that meets the changing demands of modern customers while being sympathetic to the setting of an historical city,” said Scott Parsons, Managing Director, Retail at Landsec.

“Delivering an outstanding experience for visitors and retailers alike, with a dynamic combination of retail, leisure and food and beverage, has been key to attracting great brands to the centre and we are looking forward to welcoming visitors from Oxford and beyond.” 

Westgate Oxford has been built in the former site of a 1970s shopping centre, which was demolished in 2016. It is expected to attract 15 million people annually.

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