IKEA is opening it’s third UK city centre store in Brighton on Thursday (14 August) in Churchill Square Shopping Centre.
Located in the newly renovated former Debenhams unit, IKEA Brighton will offer Sussex residents and seaside visitors thousands of affordable products, and just a short distance from the beach.
Spanning 6,695 square metres of retail space across two storeys, the new store combines IKEA’s hallmark shopping and dining experience in an accessible location, offering a range of affordable and sustainable home furnishing solutions.
I sat down with Karina Gilpin, market manager at IKEA Brighton, and Mark Buchanan-Smith, meeting place manager at Ingka Centres, and asked them some about the new store.
KK
Why Brighton?
MB-S
Why not? It’s the best city in the country
KK
Do you think that this was a better location than in Shoreham, which was one of the ones mooted some years back?
KG
I would say from a location perspective it is more accessible. It’s right in the city centre so you don’t have to travel as far. Being smack in the city centre, I would say it’s a fantastic location.
KK
Obviously, you’ve got a smaller footprint here that you would in one of the big out of town shops like Croydon. How have you decided what you’re going to include here and what would you leave out. I know that you’ve got click and collect here and you can order here but how was that decision made?
KG
We have 12,000 products in the products range and customers can get all of them. When it comes to takeaway it’s a variety of the weight and the size of it. Because, as we said earlier, in the city centre you’re more likely to be coming by bus or bike. So what would make it easiest for customers to get their products home?
We’ve taken all of that into consideration to say, ok, these things that are quite easy to pop into a blue bag and get home. Then for the rest, like you mentioned before, it’s click and collect the next day. We also have home delivery.
KK
How does that work? What’s the pricing on that for delivery?
KG
Well we’ll have co-workers on hand to support you with that. We also have online where you can click and collect set up to your home delivery so you can do it either yourself or with the help of a co-worker in store.
The pricing I think is fantastic for IKEA Family members. For products that are below 15kg, it’s free, and £5 if you’re not a Family member. If you’re not a Family member we have tried to keep it affordable as well for you to get it at home if you can’t take it home yourself.
KK
Do you have any designated parking for IKEA customers in the car park here?
MB-S
Previous research shows that 80 per cent of our customers don’t come by car but walk or get the train or bus. In our red car park on the middle level, we have click and collect bays. So, if you’ve ordered click and collect you can pick up your product and leave. Apart from that you’re welcome to park in any other part of the car park.
KK
Do you intend to get involved in community events? I think I saw your presence in the Pride parade this year.
MB-S
Here at Churchill Square, we’ve always had a really strong community connection. We were the first shopping centre in the UK to have food recycling and feed our local demographics. We fed over 2,000 customers and we actually won an international award for the last year. But it’s more important being part of the community.
KK
Walking around today I particularly loved your locally curated rooms. Why did you choose to do that?
KG
I think they’re utterly brilliant and to Mark’s point earlier, why not? But you know when you talk about being not just being in a community but being part of a community. I think for me, that’s one big asset that you cocreate together to really bring and shine through what brightness is all about. Our lovely Brightonians, who’ve cocreated these room sets with us, they have brought out their individuality, their creativity, what makes them happy and proud to be a Brightonian and we want to continue to capture that. And just to say, this won’t be a one-off, we will continue to have those room sets and turn them round.
KK
How did you choose them?
KG
We sort of put a call to action, to say who would be interested in cocreating with IKEA and really showcasing who you are, your personality and what you need for your space in order for it to function. We looked and chose five out of the group to do something together. We still have a pool that we can pull from to continue to do this.
MB-S
I would like to say that we’re so delighted to give Brighton what it wants, its first IKEA store. We know our local community, My fellow Brightonians have been wanting an IKEA store for quite a few years. It’s opening on Thursday, and we want them to come on down and enjoy.
IKEA Brighton opens at 10am on Thursday 14 August in Churchill Square.
To celebrate the store opening, the first 100 IKEA Family members to visit IKEA Brighton will receive a FRAKTA bag with an enveloped gift card inside. Prizes range from £1 to £1,000, offering customers the chance to walk away with an extra special surprise.
IKEA is quite expensive for delivery. £30-40 generally for the furniture items. It encourages a certain kind of spending and pushes more in-store purchases. Still, I know quite a few people who are very excited about this!
£100 or more is free delivery I thought, at least it was on the drawers and frames I bought, Ivar System
According to their website, if the order is under 15kg, over £60, and you’re a member, it’s free. Although that might have changed, been a promotion, or be store-specific?
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/customer-service/services/delivery/#18fc4067-0a57-11ec-912c-d5190c7baa2c
I bought my parts ca 1 year ago, any number of changes could have happened since then, had the same experience on Ibiza 8 years ago, little IKEA showcase then products delivered free if over €200 was spent. I’m going for a peek at the weekend, I need a couple of bits.
They, could have put ikea, in Shoreham, as well, the only thing, for churchill square, is the parking.
That was the original plan, too many intervening forces made them dump that idea
The one in Shoreham would have been a full-fat store (like say Croydon)
The one in Brighton (Like Oxford Street) is a different concept which is basically only the ‘market place’ section of an out of town store.
You won’t be picking up a Billy Bookcase off the shelves in Churchill Square so you won’t need a car!
Is it possible to enter IKEA directly and without having to hack through the horror that is Churchill Square?
Moaning minnies 1 & all
Not all of us Betsy!
But I agree many people commenting on IKEA related articles are moaning for moanings sake.
Personally I welcome the new store and the
Reported 150 jobs being created.
The fact it will bring in additional visitors into the city. Many of whom will also spend money in other shops and cafes etc in the city.
It will generate more interest in businesses leasing space in Churchill Square creating more jobs etc
Is the parking free if you are going to ikea?