The new shop, which is due to open in the autumn, will comprise a 1,300 sq ft “full assortment” store, offering its complete collection of product lines.
The Nottingham shop announcement came after the brand also unveiled plans to make its East Midlands debut at Derbion shopping centre in February, with the store set to open in spring/summer 2026.
Retail Gazette chats to Bath & Body Works UK and Ireland brand manager Jo Part about the upcoming stores, as well as the company’s future expansion plans.
“The ideal location” in the East Midlands
Bath & Body Works initially appeared in the UK via its concessions with Next, with the fashion giant serving as the exclusive partner for the American cosmetics specialist across the UK and Ireland.
In November 2021, Next revealed that it was launching Bath & Body Works across five of its UK stores, including Milton Keynes Beauty & Home, Gateshead Beauty & Home, London, Westfield White City, Maidstone, Eclipse Park, and Kirkcaldy.
Bath & Body Works went on to open its first standalone UK store in 2023, located at Trafford Centre in Manchester.
Bath & Body Works brand manager UK & Ireland Jo Part insists that Derby was identified as “the ideal location” for its first “full assortment” store in the East Midlands. The site is designed to better serve its “growing customer base” in the region.
The Derby store will span 1,425 sq ft and will be based on level 2 of the indoor shopping centre.
The shop will stock “a wide selection” of the business’s “iconic collections,” including fragrance mists, body lotions and creams, signature 3‑wick candles, home fragrance diffusers and hand soaps.
The Nottingham store is also set to “provide shoppers with the most comprehensive and best consumer experience possible” and forms “a key milestone” in the business’s expansion, Part says.
“Located in a high-footfall site, it is positioned to be a major destination for the region, allowing us to bring the complete Bath & Body Works experience to Nottingham shoppers,” she explains.
A “flexible portfolio of formats”
Bath & Body Works currently operates a “flexible portfolio of formats” which are “tailored to the specific needs of each location,” according to Part.
“This includes our flagship ‘standalone’ full assortment stores, our ‘carve out’ formats and our ‘shop-in-shop’ concepts which are integrated within Next,” she explains.
When asked whether there could be any new store formats on the way, the exec says that it is “always looking for innovative ways to meet our customers where they are”.
“We are continuing to invest in our ‘standalone’ store format to deliver the full brand experience, and we are also refining our ‘carve out’ and ‘shop-in-shop’ concepts within Next stores to maximize the customer experience in diverse retail environments,” she says.
In terms of what areas Bath & Body Works is targeting for new shops, Part assures that the brand is “focused on a strategic expansion across the UK” to ensure it is “accessible to our fans nationwide”.
Although she does not report any specific areas, the exec reveals: “Our pipeline includes 9 new locations across the country for 2026 and early 2027 and the list is still growing.”
Bath & Body Works has certainly cemented its position in the UK and Ireland over recent years. And although it now boasts a growing list of standalone shops, its tie-up with Next still seems to be going strong.
In fact, Part insists that its partnership with the fashion giant forms “the cornerstone” of its growth strategy.
“Our focus remains on strengthening this collaboration through our ‘carve out’ format, which integrates Bath & Body Works seamlessly into existing Next locations, providing a premium beauty destination for our shared customer base,” she says.
The new shop, which is due to open in the autumn, will comprise a 1,300 sq ft “full assortment” store, offering its complete collection of product lines.
The Nottingham shop announcement came after the brand also unveiled plans to make its East Midlands debut at Derbion shopping centre in February, with the store set to open in spring/summer 2026.
Retail Gazette chats to Bath & Body Works UK and Ireland brand manager Jo Part about the upcoming stores, as well as the company’s future expansion plans.
“The ideal location” in the East Midlands
Bath & Body Works initially appeared in the UK via its concessions with Next, with the fashion giant serving as the exclusive partner for the American cosmetics specialist across the UK and Ireland.
In November 2021, Next revealed that it was launching Bath & Body Works across five of its UK stores, including Milton Keynes Beauty & Home, Gateshead Beauty & Home, London, Westfield White City, Maidstone, Eclipse Park, and Kirkcaldy.
Bath & Body Works went on to open its first standalone UK store in 2023, located at Trafford Centre in Manchester.
Bath & Body Works brand manager UK & Ireland Jo Part insists that Derby was identified as “the ideal location” for its first “full assortment” store in the East Midlands. The site is designed to better serve its “growing customer base” in the region.
The Derby store will span 1,425 sq ft and will be based on level 2 of the indoor shopping centre.
The shop will stock “a wide selection” of the business’s “iconic collections,” including fragrance mists, body lotions and creams, signature 3‑wick candles, home fragrance diffusers and hand soaps.
The Nottingham store is also set to “provide shoppers with the most comprehensive and best consumer experience possible” and forms “a key milestone” in the business’s expansion, Part says.
“Located in a high-footfall site, it is positioned to be a major destination for the region, allowing us to bring the complete Bath & Body Works experience to Nottingham shoppers,” she explains.
A “flexible portfolio of formats”
Bath & Body Works currently operates a “flexible portfolio of formats” which are “tailored to the specific needs of each location,” according to Part.
“This includes our flagship ‘standalone’ full assortment stores, our ‘carve out’ formats and our ‘shop-in-shop’ concepts which are integrated within Next,” she explains.
When asked whether there could be any new store formats on the way, the exec says that it is “always looking for innovative ways to meet our customers where they are”.
“We are continuing to invest in our ‘standalone’ store format to deliver the full brand experience, and we are also refining our ‘carve out’ and ‘shop-in-shop’ concepts within Next stores to maximize the customer experience in diverse retail environments,” she says.
In terms of what areas Bath & Body Works is targeting for new shops, Part assures that the brand is “focused on a strategic expansion across the UK” to ensure it is “accessible to our fans nationwide”.
Although she does not report any specific areas, the exec reveals: “Our pipeline includes 9 new locations across the country for 2026 and early 2027 and the list is still growing.”
Bath & Body Works has certainly cemented its position in the UK and Ireland over recent years. And although it now boasts a growing list of standalone shops, its tie-up with Next still seems to be going strong.
In fact, Part insists that its partnership with the fashion giant forms “the cornerstone” of its growth strategy.
“Our focus remains on strengthening this collaboration through our ‘carve out’ format, which integrates Bath & Body Works seamlessly into existing Next locations, providing a premium beauty destination for our shared customer base,” she says.
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