Ikea to takeover empty Debenhams in major town centre as it eyes high street locations

IKEA is to takeover an empty Debenhams store in a major city centre as it eyes up more high street locations.

The retailer is looking to move away from its big warehouse stores into smaller sites and now it has revealed plans for its latest shop.

Ikea is to open a new branch in the former Debenhams store in Churchill Square in Brighton.

The site has remained empty since the former , resulting in the closure of all of its stores.

Fans have taken to social media to share their excitement as the store's opening.

Posting in the Hove Seafront Residents Association Facebook group, one shopper said: "Oooh exciting!! That’ll definitely get people in to Brighton."

Another said: "That's brilliant!"

And a third simply added: "Will be great to have an Ikea so close. Finally!"

The new Ikea store in Brighton will be the homeware retailer's 23rd store in the UK.

It offer a wide array of the brand's most loved products, 6,000 items on display and 3,000 available for immediate purchase.

The full range will be available for delivery.

There will also be in-store planning services to support customers' planning their new kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.

There will also be a Swedish Deli in the two-storey store serving the retailer’s iconic meatballs.

Peter Jelkeby, chief executive and chief sustainability officer at Ikea UK said: "We’re delighted to continue expanding and investing throughout the UK to make it easier and more sustainable for people to shop at IKEA.

"Sussex has long been an area of interest to us, and we really look forward to bringing IKEA closer to where our customers live, work and socialise and becoming a part of this vibrant community.”

Ikea is yet to confirm the date that the store will open.

Ikea's first city centre shop opened in Tottenham Court Road, London, in October 2018.

It closed in July 2021, but it wasn't the end of Ikea's expansion on the high street.

A new Ikea store in Oxford Street, London, is set to open in autumn 2024.

It will take over the old Topshop space on Oxford Street and should create more than 600 jobs.

Several major high street brands have announced that they will be opening new locations across the country this year.

Among the brands set to expand their portfolios are bakery chain Greggs and discount store B&M.

Avon, historically known for its door-to-door salespeople, will start opening its first shops within the next two months.

But some high street retailers have been struggling, as shoppers turn their attentions to online retail.

It has led to some well-known brands disappearing from the high street entirely, including Wilko and Paperchase.