Several fashion and lifestyle brands are launching pop-up stores off London’s Oxford Street, part of a local revitalisation effort.
- Westminster City Council’s ‘Meanwhile On: Oxford Street’ initiative aims to rejuvenate the area by reducing vacant retail spaces.
- Hades, a premium knitwear label, and Canvvs, known for custom sneakers, are key participants in the scheme.
- These pop-up spaces, previously filled by candy and souvenir shops, are now transformed into dynamic retail outlets.
- Over 800 innovative businesses applied for the scheme, highlighting significant interest in Oxford Street’s revival.
Westminster City Council has launched the ‘Meanwhile On: Oxford Street’ initiative, seeking to inject new life into the well-known retail destination by providing opportunities for small and innovative businesses. This project offers these businesses prime retail locations at reduced rents, aiming to fill the void left by many erstwhile candy and souvenir shops.
Among the inaugural group of brands making their debut just off Oxford Street are the premium knitwear label Hades and the custom sneaker brand Canvvs—famed for being chosen by noted personalities such as Ed Sheeran and members of Gareth Southgate’s England squad. These pop-up stores are anticipated to invigorate the shopping experience in the West End.
The luxury linen brand Kindred of Ireland is also part of this initiative, having secured a store on Brook Street, which will first host Kindred’s offerings, followed by Hades in September. Meanwhile, Love Cocoa, a B Corp-certified chocolate brand founded by the great-great-great grandson of the iconic Cadbury’s founder, is slated to open on South Molton Street.
This revitalisation effort has attracted more than 800 applications from burgeoning enterprises, underscoring the demand for premium retail space in such a prestigious location. The spaces are owned by Places for London and Royal London Asset Management Property, illustrating a collaborative effort between private stakeholders and public governance.
Geoff Barraclough, cabinet member for planning and economic development at Westminster City Council, articulated the council’s objectives: “We set up our Meanwhile On initiative in a bid to tackle the number of vacant stores and poor-quality offerings. By supporting these new small businesses with reduced rent and business rates, as well as promotional and operational support, we hope this provides them with a platform for growth and contributes to the diversification and rejuvenation of our high streets, especially Oxford Street.”
This strategic initiative marks a promising step toward revitalising Oxford Street and its surroundings through innovative retail solutions.
