Which Shops Won't Be Reopening at Westfield?
Some big name departures from the shopping centre
TopShop one of the casualties from the last year
Westfield in Shepherd’s Bush, the largest shopping centre in Europe when it opened 12 years ago, was home to nearly every high street chain you could think of.
But when non-essential retail finally reopens on 12 April, and many shoppers return for the first time since December, there will be more than a few empty units to catch their eyes.
Here is a list of some of the shopping centre’s stalwarts that have departed since March 2020.
Topshop, Miss Selfridge
It was announced in late November that Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia Group, the two brands’ parent company, had entered administration.
It was then announced on February 1 that online fashion retailer ASOS had bought both companies’ stock and websites, leaving gaps in high streets and shopping centres across the country.
Dorothy Perkins
Another women’s fashion brand that belonged to the Arcadia Empire, Dorothy Perkins’ stock was bought by ASOS rival Boohoo in early February.
Boohoo also purchased Burton and Wallis. Administrators Deloitte, who were conducting the sales, said around 2,450 staff would lose their jobs from the combined shop closures from all three brands.
TM Lewin
Founded in the West End during the late 1890s, TM Lewin had 66 UK branches selling formal men’s shirts and suits in early 2020.
As the start of the pandemic, the company furloughed 650 of its 700 staff. By July, it was announced that a private equity firm had bought the company with plans to make the business an online-only retailer.
What followed was the closure of all its shops and all but a few of its staff being made redundant.
Debenhams
One of the biggest but perhaps least surprising casualties of the pandemic, Debenhams’ 118 department stores closed permanently while its website and stock were bought by online retailer Boohoo in January.
The White City Debenhams included concessions of brands such as Wallis and Miss Selfridge which have also been lost.
Cath Kidston
The “vintage inspired” women’s clothing and fashion company announced in April last year that its 60 UK shops would be axed along with 900 jobs. Some 820 of those staff had been on furlough from 22 March.
The branch has been removed from Westfield’s website.
Paperchase
A new owner came to the rescue of the greetings card and stationery retailer in January.
Aspen Phoenix NewCo bought the company out of administration, but the sale was not enough to save 500 jobs (33 per cent of the workforce), along with 37 of its 127 shops.
Business Live reported in early February that the White City branch was among those that would not reopen.
ALDO
The Canadian shoe retailer’s White City branch closed when the chain permanently shut all of its stores in June 2020.
March 17, 2021