Shoppers have waited, wardrobes have changed, and living rooms have moved on. Yet nostalgia remains strong for a certain floral look.
The Laura Ashley name is stepping back into a bricks-and-mortar space, with a 10,000 sq ft standalone shop opening at Lakeside Shopping Centre in Thurrock, Essex, on 26 September. The move comes five years after the brand’s collapse into administration saw 150 UK stores close. Operated in partnership with Next, the new site aims to rekindle affection among loyal fans and tempt a new generation ahead of the festive season.
A name returns to the high street
Laura Ashley’s comeback taps into a growing appetite for tactile shopping and trusted brands. The fashion and homeware label, founded in 1953 by Laura and Bernard Ashley, built its reputation on romantic prints and English country styling worn and used by household names. Closure during the pandemic ended an era for many town centres. Yet the brand never disappeared entirely. New owners kept ranges alive via concessions and licensing deals, while designers continued to mine its vast archive of prints.
Opening details at a glance: 26 September, Lakeside Shopping Centre (Thurrock), 10,000 sq ft, operated with Next.
From collapse to comeback
After entering administration in 2020 and shuttering 150 stores, the label’s trademarks and archives were acquired by investors who moved quickly to secure shop-in-shop deals. Next hosted ranges across selected stores and online. Partnerships with DFS and John Lewis extended reach into upholstery and home accessories. In January, Marquee Brands, owner of Ben Sherman, took the reins, signalling a renewed push to rebuild Laura Ashley as a full lifestyle proposition with new products and collaborations.
The Lakeside site marks the first standalone opening since the closures. It combines the scale of a department-store concession with the editorial storytelling of a dedicated brand space. For regulars, it offers a tactile return to fabric books, wallpaper swatches and fully dressed room sets. For new shoppers, it presents a coherent identity in one place rather than scattered across different retailers.
What shoppers will find at Lakeside
The store mixes heritage patterns with current-season updates. Expect a broad sweep from homeware to apparel, presented by room and occasion for quick decision-making. Staff will focus on fit, fabric and finishing details to help shoppers buy with confidence.
- Homeware: tableware, bedding, cushions, lighting and seasonal décor
- Womenswear: day dresses, knitwear and occasion pieces curated for autumn and winter
- Sleepwear and loungewear: comfort-first sets with signature prints
- Childrenswear: coordinated dresses and separates in smaller sizes
- Wallpaper and fabric: archive-inspired designs alongside new colourways
- Services: a dedicated Design Hub for made-to-measure fabrics and in-store advice
A design hub for made-to-measure
The Design Hub sits at the heart of the new store. Shoppers can handle full-length fabric drops, review rub counts and lightfastness ratings, and compare wallpapers in natural light. Consultants will help match prints across curtains, blinds and upholstery. Appointments are available for more complex projects, but walk-ups are welcomed during quieter periods.
The Design Hub brings back what online carts cannot: touch, scale, and expert eyes on your measurements.
Why Lakeside, why now
Lakeside delivers strong footfall, easy parking and a catchment that straddles Essex, East London and Kent. That audience includes long-time Laura Ashley buyers and younger households setting up home. The timing also matters. Autumn and winter ranges arrive as households think about soft furnishings, layering and pre-Christmas refreshes.
The opening aligns with the centenary of founder Laura Ashley’s birth, a moment the brand is using to reconnect with its origins while nudging the look forward. Archive prints remain central, but expect updated silhouettes, deeper tones, and pared-back florals designed for modern interiors.
Key moments in the brand’s journey
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1953 | Brand founded in London by Laura and Bernard Ashley |
| 2020 | Entered administration and closed 150 UK stores |
| 2021 | Ranges relaunched through Next and other retail partners |
| January | Marquee Brands takes ownership, outlining a lifestyle-led strategy |
| 26 September | Standalone store opens at Lakeside, Thurrock (10,000 sq ft) |
What this means for jobs and local trade
A store of this size typically employs a sizeable team across sales, visual merchandising and specialist services. While roles have not been itemised, recruitment in the area signals a modest boost for local employment. Nearby retailers tend to benefit from renewed interest when a recognisable name opens, especially during launch weeks and the run into Christmas.
For the brand, a physical flagship provides richer data on how customers shop collections in real rooms, not just thumbnails. That helps fine-tune stock depth, size runs and repeatable colour stories, reducing returns and waste.
How to get the most from the Design Hub
Arriving prepared can save time and money. Accurate room measurements, photographs and a sense of light conditions help staff advise on scale and pattern placement. Bring a cushion cover, paint chip or flooring offcut if you want to colour-match precisely.
- Measure width, drop and any obstructions for windows and doors
- Note where sunlight hits and at what time of day
- Consider lining choices for warmth, darkening and energy savings
- Ask about lead times for made-to-measure before choosing dates for decorating
- Check care instructions if fabrics will sit in high-traffic areas
Quick tip: if choosing a large-scale print, step back at least three metres to judge repeat and balance in real space.
What shoppers can expect next
The opening sets a template. If the model works at Lakeside, more standalone sites could follow in locations with similar footfall profiles. Partnerships will continue alongside, keeping the brand visible beyond one postcode. Seasonal drops will test both softer heritage palettes and bolder, archive-inspired motifs to measure demand across age groups.
Collaboration talk will interest fashion fans. With Marquee Brands at the helm, capsule collections and crossovers are likely, tapping into nostalgia without feeling stuck. Homeware will carry the weight of the identity, but apparel is set to keep that recognisable country romance alive in a way that suits modern wardrobes.
Planning your visit
Weekday mornings tend to be quieter for longer consultations. Early evenings often suit after-work shoppers looking to try on apparel. New-season homeware usually lands in cohesive stories, so walk the full layout before deciding; matching a cushion to a rug and a lampshade is easier when you see them side by side. If you are buying curtains or blinds, ask about sample loans to test at home before placing an order.
For gift hunters, the store’s autumn and winter calendar will include smaller-ticket items that travel well: candles, table linens and textile accessories in signature prints. Those products give a taste of the brand without committing to a full-room update.
The pitch is simple: a familiar name, a fresh space, and a promise to make florals feel modern again.
Finally! Laura Ashley returning to a proper store at Lakeside feels like the right move. I’ve missed the romantic prints and actual fabric books. Will the autumn drops include deeper tones and pared-back florals mentioned here? Can’t wait to see the made-to-measure options on 26 September.