Zara inks deal to open one of its biggest UK stores at Bluewater

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Sep 13, 2019

Zara is set to double the size of its current unit at Bluewater shopping centre in Kent to open one of its largest flagship stores in the country.

The Spanish clothing specialist has taken a 37,000 sq ft store at the centre following strong consumer demand for an increased offering. The new flagship store will be one of the largest in its UK portfolio alongside shops in Westfield London (41,700 sq ft), Westfield Stratford City (nearly 50,000 sq ft) and Intu Lakeside (35,000 sq ft).

The move is part of Zara parent owner Inditex’s long-term strategy to invest in prime retail locations.

Showcasing the very latest in fashion and homeware, the new space will open in Autumn 2020.

“Zara is an enormously popular offer for our guests and there has been high demand from customers for a larger store. A new statement store will complement Bluewater’s already strong line-up of high performing fashion brands, as we continue to serve our growing catchment area,” said Russell Loveland, Senior Portfolio Director at Landsec.

This week, Inditex revealed that its largest clothing chain generated sales of 8.89 billion euros in the first half of the year, representing a 7.3% increase in sales. 

The group is working hard to transform its stores for the future, implementing an integrated onmichannel model to offer customers more convenience. If Zara’s recent openings at Westfield are anything to go by, the new Bluewater store could feature an automated online order point and self-checkout points.