- Work started on the site in 2022, with original plans to open by autumn 2023
Ikea has pushed back the opening of its Oxford Street store to fix leaks in the building’s basement.
It is the second time the store, which was previously home to Topshop’s flagship London site, has seen its opening delayed.
Ingka Investment, the retail group’s investment arm, bought the Grade II listed building at 214 Oxford Street after Topshop owner Arcadia fell into administration.
Work started on the site in 2022, with original plans to open by autumn 2023.
Last year, however, Ikea revealed this date had been pushed to autumn 2024 due to the scale of refurbishment work.
Delay: Ikea said the shop will not be opening until spring 2025 due to the ‘hugely complex’ nature of the renovation
On Friday, the Swedish furniture and homeware giant said the shop will not be opening until spring 2025 due to the ‘hugely complex’ nature of the renovation.
It said work across all seven floors of the building has seen ‘significant progress’ but it had faced ‘unexpected conditions’ during the process.
Ikea said it recently discovered the need for unforeseen additional work on the lower of two basement levels to control a water leak. Work is under way.
Peter Jelkeby, chief executive and chief sustainability officer of Ikea UK, said: ‘The historic nature of the building makes its careful renovation more complex, but we want to ensure Londoners that we’re just as excited to open the store as they are to visit it.’
