The multi-billion dollar makeover of London’s Battersea Power Station is one of the world’s most stunning urban redevelopment projects. The huge coal-powered facility was de-commissioned in 1983 and lay dormant for over 40 years before a decade-long facelift. Last October, the spectacular hub of apartments, offices, cinemas, shops and much more was officially declared open and has become a major tourist attraction.

Over 250 shops fill the former industrial space with fashion names like Chanel and Ralph Lauren and luxury watch brands like Omega and Rolex flaunting their wares alongside a curated lineup of well-known and niche beauty names such as Aesop, Jo Malone, M.A.C, Malin + Goetz and L’Occitane. Space NK, the UK’s equivalent of Mecca, is also in the mix

Earlier this year, Boots, the iconic British pharmacy and beauty chain, announced it would close 300 stores across the UK, but the iconic retailer remains Britain’s number one beauty destination with over 2000 stores across the country.

To capitalise on this dominant position, Boots has announced it will open its first-ever standalone beauty store in Battersea Power Station later this year. The 11,200 square foot space  will showcase more than 250 brands of skincare, makeup and haircare.

The lucrative British beauty market has seen a lot of action this year. Sephora returned to the UK after exiting the country in 2005, opening its first bricks-and-mortar store in Westfield London shopping centre. A second store will open in Westfield Stratford City, also in London, in November.

Space NK has more than 70 stores in the UK and has also been ramping up its efforts. Last year, the speciality beauty retailer opened its Battersea Power Station outpost and an impressive two-storey store in its original Covent Garden location. The UK’s high-end department store chains may not be the force they once were, but they still have a lot of clout in the prestige beauty category to add to the competition.

Boots has long been renowned for its skincare offerings, notably its famed No7 range, and the new store will spearhead the continuation of its beauty reinvention programme. The retailer has revamped 170 of its halls throughout the UK, including its location in Westfield London close to Sephora’s first new UK store. The new generation beauty halls were also the first to stock new brands such as Grown Alchemist and Sol de Janeiro positioned with cult favourites such as Drunk Elephant and M.A.C. alongside the extensive offerings of the major beauty players. Boots offers more than 500 cosmetic, skincare and haircare brands and has debuted more than 4000 lines to date this year.

Customers will be able to try out new products in a specially-designed beauty studio billed as super-sized and consult with dermatologists, specially trained brand neutral and brand exclusive beauty advisors and skin-specialist pharmacists at the new flagship store. More exclusive brands will also be on offer, including female-owned and diverse ones. All brands will be available online so that consumers all over the country can pick and choose.

Boots stocks more than 500 cosmetic, skincare and haircare brands and has debuted more than  4000 lines to date this year. A strategy which has seen the retailer achieve nine consecutive quarters of growth in beauty sales. Boots third quarter results released in June posted an 18 per cent year-on-year sales growth with May sales up 45 per cent for the same period in 2021.

Our new beauty showcase solidifies Boots’ position as the UK’s number one beauty destination and marks the latest innovation under our ongoing beauty reinvention programme, said Paul Niezawitowski, Beauty Director at Boots. “Boots continues to invest in providing a market-leading beauty experience and this new beauty-only concept not only allows customers to be the very first to try new brands and products but also provides a platform to launch new services that we know our customers will love.”

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