A FOOT IN THE DOOR: THE O2 WELCOMES TRIO OF OPENINGS, WITH RETURNING FAVOURITE CLARKS

Outlet Shopping at The O₂, which is owned and operated by AEG Europe and Crosstree Real Estate, has announced a trio of retail additions to its lineup, including returning favourite, Clarks, British footwear brand, Soletrader, and a London outlet debut for contemporary bedding brand, Bedeck.

Clarks has returned to Outlet Shopping at The O₂ after 3 years, opening a 3,259 sq ft store adjacent to Skechers and Lids on the outlet’s upper level. The new space stocks a broad range of casual and formal footwear and accessories, including Clarks’ Originals line and kids range, along with its personal shopping and fitting service. Clarks’ return to The O₂ underlines the significant role that the outlet plays within central London’s repertoire of retail, leisure, and entertainment destinations, and also demonstrates the team’s active and dynamic approach to securing brands which visitors know and love.

The opening of Clarks coincides with the recent arrival of Soletrader, which has opened a 1,749 sq ft store on the upper level next to Procook and Carvela. Partnering with brands such as Dr Marten, Veja, and Ugg since its inception, Soletrader delivers a varied range of contemporary casual, designer, performance-based, and heritage footwear to Outlet Shopping at The O₂, complementing the destination’s wider retail offer.

Only a stone’s throw away from Soletrader, Irish-born soft furnishings retailer, Bedeck, has also opened at The O₂, with a 1,637 sq ft unit. Similarly to Soletrader, Bedeck embodies the spirit of partnership, stocking a vast and varied selection of soft furnishings from leading homeware brands such as Joules, Sanderson, Helena Springfield, and V&A. This store delivers an elevated homeware offer for The O₂’s visitors, and marks a London outlet debut for the brand, highlighting The O₂’s role as a key destination of choice within the capital.

Louisa Dalgleish, Leasing Director at Outlet Shopping at The O₂, commented: “Clarks have always been a favourite when it comes to footwear. Its unique, family-friendly approach to shopping is something we really admire, and it’s great to have them back at The O2 and highlight the success that can be achieved here. Coupled with the openings of Soletrader and Bedeck, this will elevate our outlet, and deliver more choice and inspiration for visitors as we continue to drive forward our position as one of London’s most desirable retail destinations.”

This announcement follows the emergence of a new type of consumer habit revealed by The O₂, with ‘social spending’ identified as a dominant behaviour and key driver of the destinations strong performance. Due to The O₂’s multi-faceted retail, leisure, and F&B offer, alongside its broad generational appeal, it is a consistent choice for visitors to spend quality time with friends and family. ‘Social spending’ has led to significant cross-category spending across the destination, resulting in The O₂ outperforming across multiple UK benchmarks.

KLM and CBRE represent Outlet Shopping at The O_2.