Opening of new Boots' Store of The Future crowns first phase of Woking town centre redevelopment

The first phase of a £570m transformation of Woking town centre in Surrey has been completed, with the opening of a 27,500 sq ft flagship Boots store.

The vast store showcases an array of Boots’ "Store of The Future" concepts including a rehydration station and new in queue merchandising (IQM) system.

The store also features a wider range of products and beauty counters, including NO7, Clinique, The Ordinary, Bumble and Bumble, Benefit and Liz Earle.  

A click and collect service, pharmacy with two consultation rooms for services including vaccinations, plus an opticians and photo printing, are also on offer.

The Victoria Place development is set to open in September 2021, comprising 125,000 sq ft of new retail floorspace including a 50,000 sq ft Marks and Spencer, fit-out of which begins in March next year.

The development will bring two new public plazas and an additional 284 parking spaces to the destination, along with a four-star Hilton Hotel, residential apartments, new restaurant unit and space for a medical centre.

Woking Borough Council leader Ayesha Azad said: “The opening of phase one of Victoria Place is a major milestone and a marker of the momentum being enjoyed by Woking.

“Today’s news highlights the enduring appeal of Woking, and the Council’s commitment to work with its partners to ensure the long-term vibrancy of the Borough.”

Moyallen managing director Peter Robinson added: “The new Boots store is a fantastic addition to Woking Shopping’s line-up that also heralds the completion of the first phase of a development that will transform the town centre.

“Victoria Place is a new-generation of development that successfully integrates a range of uses to create a thriving community and positive, long-term contribution to the local economy.”

Woking Shopping serves a catchment of 1.1m people with an available spend of £2.6bn.  

41% of Woking’s catchment are from CACI’s “Affluent Achievers” Acorn profile, compared to 31% for the South East.

Upon completion of Victoria Place, Woking’s market potential is expected to increase by 11% to £226m.