Global fashion brand set to leave Northampton town centre high street after 25 years at huge site

Fashion giants H&M has confirmed it will be leaving its premises in Abington Street after around 25 years at the location, first opening there circa 1999.

The news comes as another big blow for Northampton’s main high street, which has seen the exiting of several major brands in the past decade including Ann Summers, Tesco Metro, M&S, BHS, Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Moss Bros, Sharps Bedrooms and more.

However, H&M has announced that it will be relocating to the Grosvenor Centre, taking over the former New Look store. The new store, spanning two floors, is expected to open in Spring 2025.

Initially, it was understood that the new store would be a concept H&M Home store, but H&M has since confirmed that it will be a standard H&M shop.

A H&M spokeswoman said: “H&M is relocating to The Grosvenor Centre and plans to open in Spring 2025.

"The Abington Street store will close less than a week before the opening of the new store, expected to be in April 2025.

“We are moving to a much better pitch with greater prominence, facing out onto the market square which is due to be newly redeveloped this Autumn.”

The move is a significant development for the Grosvenor Centre, which was purchased by Evolve Estates for an undisclosed fee in January 2023.

The estate agents in charge of the centre, FMX Urban Property Advisers, have reported that the shopping centre is "thriving", with several recent lettings and new tenants moving in.

They said: “Following a slew of recent lettings – including the signing this week of a new 20,000 sq ft H&M store – we’re celebrating Grosvenor Shopping Northampton this month, as a truly thriving town centre scheme.

"H&M will be joining the centre while Bewitched Coffee are also fitting out their new upsized unit [at the former Burton store]. And there are a number of other exciting deals still in the pipeline that we hope to be able to reveal shortly.”