Cornish Bakery Opens First Bakery in Wales and First of New Brand Concept
Cornish Bakery opened its first Welsh outlet on Station Approach in Betws‑y‑Coed, marking the brand’s debut in Wales and the launch of its new RISE concept. The 2,500‑sq‑ft bakery seats up to 166 guests and blends traditional Cornish pastries with a small‑plates menu that includes Huevos Rancheros and Crab Gratin. RISE is positioned as a flexible, community‑centric space that will be replicated in three additional UK sites. The venue also partners with local suppliers such as St. Ewe Eggs, Harbour Brewery and Camel Valley Vineyard.
Soul Mama Swings Into Angel Central
Angel Central in Islington has signed Soul Mama, a music‑driven restaurant concept, to occupy a 3,926 sq ft unit with a 1,500 sq ft south‑facing terrace. The venue, founded by Grammy‑nominated saxophonist YolanDa Brown OBE DL and music manager Adetokunbo “T” Oyelola, blends African, Caribbean...
OurCoop Invests £9.3 Million in New Stores to Support Local Communities
OurCoop has invested roughly £9.3 million (about $11.8 million) to open four new FoodCoop stores in Leicestershire, Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire and Merseyside, plus two Co‑op Travel branches in Lichfield and Cheltenham. The stores feature sustainability upgrades such as solar panels, EV chargers and...
Sephora UK MD, Sarah Boyd, Joins the Retail Technology Show 2026 Headline Speaker Line-Up
Sephora UK Managing Director Sarah Boyd has been added to the headline speaker lineup for the Retail Technology Show (RTS) 2026 in London. Boyd will speak on the Spark Stage about Sephora’s rapid expansion to 20 UK stores and its...
Lane7 Secures 30th Site with New Exeter Venue
Lane7 Group announced the opening of its 30th UK venue, a 27,000‑sq‑ft boutique bowling centre in Exeter’s Guildhall Shopping Centre, slated for early 2027. The two‑floor site will generate 30 local jobs and adds to a portfolio that now spans...
The Digital Signage Summit Turns 20: Two Decades Shaping Digital Signage Strategy
The Digital Signage Summit (DSS) marks its 20‑year milestone with a two‑day conference on May 20‑21 at Munich Airport, Germany. Originating in 2006 with just 40 attendees, the event has grown into the premier strategy forum for senior executives, technology...
Covent Garden’s Market Building Gets a New Signature Scent as INITIO Parfums Privés Opens First Standalone Store
INITIO Parfums Privés launched its first UK standalone boutique in Covent Garden’s iconic Market Building, occupying a 246‑sq‑ft space. The French perfume house, known for its neuroscience‑driven "neuroscents," joins a growing roster of luxury fragrance brands in the district, including...
Sports Direct Opens 31,000 Sq Ft Store in Kingston Upon Thames as London Expansion Continues
Frasers Group has opened a 31,000 sq ft, two‑floor Sports Direct store in Kingston upon Thames, adding to its aggressive London rollout. The outlet blends global sports brands such as Nike, adidas, New Balance and PUMA with the group’s own USC and...
Vagabond Wines Brings Largest Flagship Venue to Soho
Vagabond Wines, part of the Majestic Wine Group, will launch its largest flagship—a 6,300 sq ft self‑pour wine bar—at 14‑16 Ganton Street in Soho this summer. The venue will feature more than 120 wines by the glass, many sourced from vineyards within...
Dalziel & Pow Introduces a ‘Whole World of Different’ at Immersive London Pop up for Wise
Dalziel & Pow has created Wise’s first physical branch – an immersive pop‑up on Oxford Street that runs from March 30 to April 13. The two‑week installation blends large digital wrap screens, a matcha bar, a Wisdom Bar and interactive kiosks to...
Primark Launches Adaptive Swimwear Range in Partnership with Victoria Jenkins
Primark has introduced the high‑street’s first adaptive swimwear line, created with award‑winning designer Victoria Jenkins. The collection includes a women’s black tankini priced at £14 (≈$18) and men’s cargo swim shorts at £12 (≈$15), both featuring side‑tube access, waistband pulls...
Co-Op and EG On The Move ‘Drive Forward’ Growth with New Essex Roadside Service Station and Grocery Convenience Launch
Co‑op and EG On The Move have opened a new forecourt‑convenience site in Norton Heath, Essex, combining eight fuel pumps, upcoming EV chargers, a Greggs bakery and a Co‑op franchise store. The location brings British‑sourced food, Starbucks coffee, meal deals...
One Month to Go Until the 2026 Retail Technology Show
The Retail Technology Show returns to London’s ExCeL on April 22‑23, 2026 with a new disco theme and over 450 exhibitors, marking its largest technology showcase yet. New features include a Cyber & Loss Prevention Zone, an AI‑maturity focus, and...
Gloucester Quays Unveils Restaurant Signings and New Arrival
Peel Retail & Leisure announced three new restaurant signings at Gloucester Quays: the French‑fusion Muse Brasserie (3,282 sq ft, 100 covers), COSMO’s world‑buffet Umami (7,263 sq ft, 243 covers) and casual Italian Banchina (5,252 sq ft, 132 covers). All three concepts are making their city debut,...
Crocs Steps Into Caledonia Park
Crocs has signed a lease for a 1,754 sq ft outlet store at Caledonia Park in Scotland, slated to open in April. The outlet will showcase the brand’s core and seasonal collections, including clogs, sandals, slides and a dedicated Jibbitz™ charm personalization...
IKEA Plan and Order Point Has Opened in Kingsway West Retail Park
IKEA opened its first Plan and Order Point in Dundee on March 23, offering a dedicated space for kitchen, bedroom and living‑room design consultations. The 2,500‑sq‑ft venue showcases ten kitchen concepts, eight PAX wardrobe solutions and a curated selection of...
Cribbs Continues to Expand Dining Offering with Loungers Letting
Cribbs Mall in the South West has secured Loungers’ Picaro Lounge, signing a 15‑year lease for a 4,600‑sq‑ft space in its food court. The new venue, part of Loungers’ 250‑location chain, aims to attract Gen Z diners with its brunch...
Iceland Offering Shoppers £5 Free During School Holidays
Iceland and The Food Warehouse are giving Bonus Club members a £5 (≈ $6.40) credit during the Easter school holidays. Customers who spend at least £15 (≈ $19) on school‑meal vouchers between 24 March and 13 April 2026 receive the top‑up, and more than...
Britain’s Independent Takeaways Serve up £28 Billion Boost as Platform Hits 2 Billion Orders
Just Eat marks its 20th anniversary and hits 2 billion orders on its UK platform, showcasing over 100,000 menu options. New research commissioned by the company reveals that independent takeaway restaurants generate roughly $35.6 billion in annual gross value added and sustain...
Wingstop UKI Expands in the Southwest with Fourth Site in Bristol
Wingstop UKI opened its fourth Bristol restaurant at The Venue, Cribbs Causeway, adding a 4,520‑sq‑ft space with 168 covers. The launch includes a limited‑time Dragon’s Breath wing and free wings for the first 100 guests. The chain now operates 91...
Mother’s Day Is No Longer a Last-Minute Rush as Shoppers Spread Demand and Embrace More Flexible Delivery Options
UK e‑commerce orders rose 8.47 % YoY in the week leading up to Mother’s Day, but the growth was evenly distributed rather than concentrated on a single rush day. Shoppers spread purchases across the entire week, with the strongest lifts on...
Dobbies Unveils Exciting New Foodhall Concept in £1.5m Nationwide Rollout
Dobbies Garden Centres is investing £1.5 million to upgrade foodhalls in 48 stores, adding a refreshed look and a 2,000‑item range. The rollout, completed over six weeks, introduces an expanded in‑house bakery and partnerships with 33 specialist suppliers. Early trials showed...
Dave’s Hot Chicken Selects Eldon Square for North East Debut
Dave’s Hot Chicken, the fast‑growing US hot‑chicken chain, will open a 4,541 sq ft restaurant in Newcastle’s Eldon Square at the end of May, marking its first North East location. The venue will feature the brand’s signature graffiti‑style interiors and a focused...
EE and Samsung to Deliver Free AI Training Sessions
EE and Samsung are launching free AI masterclasses at EE’s Westfield White City studio, running daily through 5 April. The 20‑minute sessions, limited to eight participants, demonstrate Galaxy AI features on the new Samsung S26 Ultra, covering photography, translation, note‑taking and...
Printworks Announces Neurodiversity Celebration Week Initiative with Sensory-Friendly Experiences and Free Sensory Packs
Printworks Manchester will observe Neurodiversity Celebration Week from March 16‑20 with sensory‑friendly initiatives. The venue will project calming Northern Lights visuals on its digital ceiling and launch a weekly Sunday sensory‑friendly hour with dimmed lighting and reduced audio. Additionally, 200...
EuroShop 2026: The Store Is Becoming Smarter, More Flexible – and Far More Experiential
EuroShop 2026 in Düsseldorf showcased a decisive shift in physical retail toward intelligent, adaptable, and experience‑focused stores. Brands are embedding AI and digital merchandising directly into fixtures, turning the shop floor into a connected ecosystem. Modular displays and reconfigurable lighting...
Cornish Bakery ‘RISES’ with Significant New Brand Concept
Cornish Bakery is launching a new licensed concept called RISE, extending its brand into larger, community‑focused bakeries across the UK. The first three RISE locations—Betws‑y‑Coed, Portsmouth’s Gunwharf Quays, and Falmouth—will feature expanded floor space, extended trading hours, and a menu...
Screwfix Reaches Trade Apprentice Milestone in Drive to Tackle Skills Shortage
Screwfix has funded over 50 trade apprentices through its partnership with flexi‑job agency TrAC, aiming to curb the UK skills shortage. Since the 2022 launch, apprentices have been placed in plumbing, electrical, landscaping and decorating roles, with funding drawn from...
Free, Luxury ‘Wellness Sensorium’ Opens at Westfield London This Month
Westfield London is launching "Feel the Frequency," an 11‑day free luxury wellness sensorium running from 25 March to 4 April 2026. The pop‑up blends immersive experiences—sound baths, silent discos, mindful movement, and neurostimulation—with functional mood‑matching drinks and expert talks on women’s health....
Mother’s Day Boom – UK Shoppers Forecast to Hit £18bn in 2026
Retail research by Savvy forecasts UK Mother’s Day spending to reach £18 billion in 2026, a 15% year‑on‑year increase. Participation is strong, with 65% of shoppers planning to celebrate and 88% among households with children. The trend toward premium and at‑home...
The One Off Wins CRA Best Stand Award at EuroShop
The One Off, a retail design consultancy, won the Creative Retail Awards Best Stand at EuroShop. Judges praised its record‑shop concept that transformed a two‑decade portfolio into an interactive, vinyl‑sleeve display. The stand delivered strong visual impact, brand clarity and...
The Digital Signage Summit 2026 Sets the Global Agenda as Registration Opens for Landmark 20th Edition
Early‑bird registration is now open for the Digital Signage Summit 2026, the industry’s premier strategy forum celebrating its 20th anniversary. The two‑day event will take place May 20‑21 at the Hilton Munich Airport and convene senior leaders from retail, DOOH...
The Perfume Shop Unveils ‘The Perfume Shop Scent Sanctuary’ as Part of National Fragrance Week
The Perfume Shop launched the Scent Sanctuary pop‑up in London during National Fragrance Week, offering 30‑minute guided scent sessions that blend perfume discovery with meditation, yoga and breathwork. Tickets for the customer days sold out within two hours, underscoring strong...
New McDonald’s Distribution Centre Brings 200+ Jobs to Darlington
McDonald’s UK & Ireland and logistics partner Martin Brower have opened a 138,000‑square‑foot distribution centre in Darlington, creating more than 200 local jobs. The facility will service over 200 McDonald’s restaurants across the North East, cutting delivery drive times by...
Co-Op Expands Its Electric Online Home Delivery Fleet with Toyota
Co-op is investing £1.5 million to add more than 50 Toyota Proace City electric vans to its home‑delivery fleet, replacing older vehicles and expanding service to rural areas. The rollout supports the retailer’s online grocery growth, now available to 86 % of...
Livingston Designer Outlet Announces 2026 Charity Partnership with Down’s Syndrome Scotland
Livingston Designer Outlet announced its 2026 charity partnership with Down’s Syndrome Scotland, a leading Scottish organization supporting individuals with Down’s syndrome. The outlet will host a year‑long series of fundraising events, awareness campaigns, and interactive activities, beginning on March 21...
EE Brings Experiential Store Format to London’s Oxford Street
EE opened an Experience Local store on London’s Oxford Street, marking the third experiential outlet the carrier has launched in the capital. The opening, celebrated by former Love Island star Luke Trotman, is part of a £3 million investment EE has...
Three AI Moves Retailers Should Prioritise Ahead of Mother’s Day
Retailers eye Mother’s Day as a catalyst for AI adoption, focusing on demand forecasting, pricing optimization, and autonomous AI agents. AI models can ingest real‑time sales, inventory and regional data to accurately predict stock needs across stores and online channels....
North East Community Groups to Benefit From Free Radio Campaign to Celebrate 40 Years of Metrocentre
Award‑winning Pride Radio, operated by LGBTQ+ charity OUT North East, is donating £100,000 in airtime to mark Metrocentre’s 40‑year anniversary. The Top 40 Community Voices scheme will allocate a free 12‑week radio campaign to 40 local charities and community groups, with...
Victoria Leeds Admits Randox Health for Regional Debut
Victoria Leeds, operated by Redical, has secured Randox Health for its first standalone clinic in Yorkshire, occupying a 734 sq ft space in the Victoria Quarter. The new clinic will provide a full suite of preventative health services, including comprehensive blood tests,...
WHSmith Opens at Extra’s Leeds Skelton Lake Services
WHSmith has opened its seventh store within the Extra Motorway Service Area network at Leeds Skelton Lake services on the M1. The new outlet replaces the former Urban Express unit and creates six local jobs, offering a broad assortment of...
Søstrene Grene Accelerates UK Expansion as Manchester Opening Marks 400th Global Store
Søstrene Grene will unveil its 400th global store at Manchester Arndale on 26 March, marking the sixth UK opening of 2026. The Danish retailer now operates more than 70 UK locations and aims for 100 stores by 2027, after a 130 percent...
Festival Place Leading the Way with New Inclusivity Initiative
Festival Place in Basingstoke has become the UK’s first shopping centre to launch a dedicated inclusivity partnership with disability consultancy Purple Advantage. The collaboration delivers bespoke training, practical tools and ongoing support to centre staff and retailers, aiming to make...
NOMO’s Biggest Ever Easter Range Secures Free From Award Wins
NOMO’s 2026 Easter collection earned multiple gold and silver accolades at the Free From Easter Awards, marking the brand’s most extensive range to date. The lineup introduced four new allergen‑free products, including a Salted Popcorn Egg and Honeycomb Bunny, while...
UK Supermarkets Show Progress on Packaging Sustainability – but There’s Still Room to Improve
Research by Aura shows 53% of packaging used by the UK’s nine biggest supermarkets scores green for recyclability under Defra’s RAM, while 37% falls into amber or red categories. The methodology will feed into eco‑modulated EPR fees that begin in...
Maki & Ramen Noodles Its Way Into The O2 for First London Opening
Maki & Ramen opened its first London restaurant inside The O2’s Entertainment District, occupying a 1,991‑sq‑ft space with 70 covers. The menu features Tonkotsu ramen and premium sushi, reflecting the brand’s expansion plan launched in 2015. The opening coincides with...
How Retailers Can Stay Ahead in a Shifting Market
Retail is rapidly evolving from pure shopping to experience‑driven community hubs, where visitors seek places that reflect their values and daily lives. Ingka Centres leverages its global reach and local insight to design mixed‑use destinations, exemplified by the upcoming Lykli...
Lululemon Announces 100th Store Opening in EMEA
lululemon announced the opening of its 100th store in the EMEA region, slated for March 13 in Warsaw, Poland, marking the brand’s first location in the country. The milestone follows a decade‑long expansion that now covers 19 EMEA markets and...
Pro:Direct Sport Unveils World-First PD:FC Concept Store in Manchester
Pro:Direct Sport launched the world‑first PD:FC concept store in Manchester, a two‑floor, 9,180 sq ft flagship on New Cathedral Street inside the Arndale centre. The immersive space blends the brand’s online heritage with performance‑driven retail, featuring a 3D foot‑scanning machine and curated...
The Cold Chain Can’t Keep up – Smart Packaging Needs Real‑time Intelligence
Recent warnings from the Cold Chain Federation highlight that temperature failures could jeopardise UK food security and generate billions in waste. Traditional packaging alone cannot rescue products once they have been exposed to unsafe temperatures, prompting manufacturers to adopt real‑time...