Harrods is planning the opening of three further stand-alone H Beauty stores over the next 12 months. This is part of an ambitious long-term strategic expansion of H Beauty, which has two stores outside London at the Lakeside mall in Essex, and at Centre: MK in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. The latest rollout will begin in the fourth quarter of 2021, with an opening at St. James Quarter, Edinburgh, one of the most important city centre transformations currently underway in the U.K. In early 2022, H Beauty will open at The Mall at Cribbs Causeway in Bristol, and later in the year at Newcastle’s Metrocentre. The latter will be home to H Beauty’s largest store yet. The new openings will bring the U.K. H Beauty footprint to more than 127,000ft2 (11,800m2) of retail space. The new stores will take their cues from the current ones, stocking a blend of established and new brands, and with some products sourced from local companies and manufacturers. There will also be interactive play tables, skincare stations, treatment areas and the H Beauty Champagne bar. Unlike other European countries, or the U.S., the U.K. doesn’t have a Sephora or Ulta equivalent. Online players, such as Next, Boohoo and Asos are also looking to make inroads in the beauty market which offers entry-level prices and high margins and complements those retailers’ fashion offers.
