What‘s dubbed as the largest department store redevelopment outside London is soon to end, with Fenwick Colchester to open its doors on September 15.
With a £35 million price tag and taking two and a half years to complete, the store previously known as Williams & Griffin will expand its footprint by 50 per cent to 120,000 sq ft and become the largest department store in the region.
It will also be the 11th store for Fenwick, a family-owned independent department store chain, and provide a boost of 70 new jobs.
Fenwick Colchester will be home to more than 600 brands, 70 of which are new to the store and 20 that are new to the Essex town as a whole, such as Bobbi Brown, Jo Malone, Paul Smith, Eileen Fisher and Kate Spade.
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Seventy-five per cent of the shop will be dedicated to fashion, beauty and accessories, including a 10,000 sq ft beauty hall.
And with Colchester having a reputation as Britain‘s oldest town, the redevelopment and expansion of the local Fenwick has also remained respectful to the heritage of the building. This includes a former merchant‘s house dating back to the 15 century, and the 50m-high frontage on Colchester High St.
“Combining Colchester‘s heritage with the needs of the 21st century shopper, we are delighted by our new store and welcome new colleagues to the business,” Fenwich chairman Mark Fenwick said.
“We very much hope you will enjoy the shopping experience which we believe will help reassert the centre of Colchester as the pre-eminent shopping destination in the region.‘‘
Williams & Griffin was originally bought by Fenwick in 2008, and operated under the Williams & Griffin name until it closed for redevelopment.
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