IKEA’s move into the former Topshop store will be a boost for Oxford Street as it tries to regain footfall in the aftermath of the pandemic. — Bloomberg
LONDON: Swedish furniture maker IKEA is backing Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s contentious plan to reserve Oxford Street for pedestrians, as the retail giant opens a store in one of the UK capital’s most popular shopping districts.
“The idea of pedestrianisation, that is going to help shoppers move around here,” Peter Jelkeby, chief executive officer of IKEA United Kingdom, said in an interview at the new store ahead of its opening today.
“You’re going to get a different pace. When a high street works well, you can slow down, you get space, you hopefully get an environment you actually want to be in – it’s safe.”
Khan, who has failed previously to remove traffic from Oxford Street and still faces local opposition, wants to create a Mayoral Development Corporation with the power to approve the plan.
“Oxford Street is one of the most famous shopping destinations in the world and we want to give it a new lease of life,” he said.
Khan, who is serving his third term, had proposed a traffic-free Oxford Street in his manifesto ahead of the 2016 election.
But the local council withdrew from the plan in 2018, citing a lack of public support as residents and businesses in nearby streets complained the idea would create more congestion.
IKEA’s move into the former Topshop store, delayed by 18 months due to the scale of renovation work, will be a boost for Oxford Street as it tries to regain footfall in the aftermath of the pandemic.
High-profile plots previously occupied by defunct department stores Debenhams and House of Fraser are empty.
Meanwhile, the council cracked down on a proliferation of American candy shops after they were found to be fronting illegal businesses.
“When you look at the high street, you need to have a holistic view,” the chief executive said about IKEA’s move into a historic building it bought for £378mil (US$507mil) in 2021.
“It is not only about the retail or the shops, it’s also about other things around it,” Jelkeby added.
The store, which includes a 130-seat Swedish deli and a live studio for broadcasting, is part of IKEA’s move into city centres to attract urban customers.
It already has similar stores, which are smaller than its traditional out-of-town showrooms IKEA is widely known for. These are in Paris and Stockholm. — Bloomberg
