UK’s first ever shopping centre gets 150 brand new stores as it celebrates huge milestone | UK | News
Brent Cross in north-west London turns 50 this week, following its first opening in March 1976. (Image: Getty)
The country’s first out-of-town and American-style indoor shopping centre, it was opened 50 years ago today, on March 2, 1976, by the then Prince of Wales, now King Charles III. At the time, it was considered the pinnacle of the modern retail experience and was the forerunner of stores such as Lakeside, Bluewater and, more recently, Westfield. Developed by Hammerson, the construction took 19 years to complete at a cost of £20 million, and although London’s Elephant and Castle shopping center predates this, it was not considered a fully enclosed building and therefore not a truly modern shopping center in the style of American all-weather shopping malls.
However, local merchants opposed its opening. Today, it is undergoing major restructuring with new stores expanding and opening in 2026. What started as 800,000 sq ft (74,320 m)2The retail space, on a 52-acre site, will more than double in size, offering approximately 2 million square feet of retail and entertainment space. The expanded center will include up to 150 new retail stores, 50 new restaurants, a cinema complex and a new hotel.
Brent Cross Shopping Center A massive expansion is underway in Hendon, north-west London, which will include up to 150 new retail stores, 50 new restaurants, a cinema complex and a new hotel as part of the wider £8bn Brent Cross Town project, which will add new retail, leisure and public spaces on a rolling basis by 2026.
The project aims to transform the center into one of the largest retail destinations in the UK. While already present at Brent Cross, JD Sports has opened an enlarged “bigger, better: 12,066 sq ft” store in the main shopping centre.
Popular Swedish clothing brand Newbie is expanding into Brent Cross with a store offering its ‘much-loved’ second-hand concept.
Urban Leisure Group’s 7,400 square meter venue will be the first hospitality venue to be offered in the heart of the new public space, Neighborhood Square. Locals and visitors will enjoy seasonal cuisine and excellent beverage options with indoor and outdoor seating. This will be the 10th venue for Urban Leisure Group, the team behind Alice House and Queens Park in West Hampstead, Coin Laundry in Exmouth Market and Heist Bank in Paddington. This venue will open its doors in the spring.
late last year Partnership opened a 3000 square meter store in the town of Brent Cross as part of the redevelopment of the area. Located at 8 Aviator Drive in Neighborhood Square, the store officially opened on November 21, 2025 and is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
108, a new indoor padel court centre, also joins the list of new openings in Brent Cross Town.
Brent Cross customer and TV host Vanessa Feltz next to an art installation at the centre. (Image: PA)
When Brent Cross opened, Britain was in a recession and the shopping center was described as a “futuristic concept”, thanks to features such as an indoor fountain and air conditioning. Retail analyst Richard Hyman said the importance of Brent Cross “should not be overstated”. There was nothing like this before Brent Cross.
It then had 75 stores. The original three department stores, Fenwick, when Brent Cross opened john lewis and Marks & Spencer remain in the area. He was famous for setting new standards in retail by staying open until 20:00, while most stores closed at 17:00.
Surrounded by a “spaghetti junction” of main roads typical of the time it was built, it can be reached by road, tube (Brent Cross Station on the Edgware branch of the Northern Line and many bus routes).
Brent Cross quickly became a popular attraction for people in London and the South East and became the blueprint for shopping centers across Europe. Despite its age and outdated appearance, it has remained a popular shopping destination ever since and now looks set to pave the way for shopping and entertainment once again.
He has appeared as a background in many movies over the years. The shopping center’s parking lot was used as a filming location for the 1997 James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies.
Brent Cross shopping center sales (Image: – Market Mirror)
A Barnet council The spokesman said: “Brent Cross Shopping Center has been a landmark destination for Barnet since it first opened its doors in March 1976. For fifty years it has played an important role in the life of the borough, not only as a place for people to meet and spend time together, but also as a leading retail center and major employer, with many Barnet residents telling stories of what it was like to be the first person to work there all those years ago.
‘It has been and continues to be a much-loved destination for Barnet and beyond; Its success has helped shape the area’s identity and has seen so much change over the decades – the shopping center continues to play an iconic role in this exciting new part of the borough as the area transforms once again with the development of Brent Cross Town, the new neighborhood on its doorstep, bringing much-needed new homes, office space, community amenities and better connections.”
