Fashion group Mango has confirmed plans to open a new store at Festival Place Basingstoke, continuing its UK expansion. The new unit is set to open later this year and will stock the Mango Woman and Man collections across a 7,104 sq ft space.
Festival Place, which spans 1.2 million square feet and houses more than 180 retailers, will see Mango join a roster of well-known brands. The store will incorporate Mango’s New Med concept — an interior design style rooted in Mediterranean heritage, featuring natural textures, warm colours, and sustainable materials intended to create a relaxed shopping environment.
The opening supports Mango’s 2024–2026 4Es Strategic Plan, a framework focused on expanding the brand’s store portfolio globally. The company intends to launch 500 new stores by 2026, with 20 scheduled for the UK in 2025 alone. By the end of 2024, Mango had over 80 physical locations in the UK alongside its e-commerce presence through Mango.com and additional marketplaces.
This will be Mango’s first major signing at Festival Place since the shopping centre was acquired by MDSR Investments in April for £99.1 million. The signing is part of a broader effort by property and asset manager Estama and joint leasing agents Lunson Mitchenall and GCW to reposition the centre’s retail mix to better reflect local demographics and bolster leasing momentum.
Ross Campbell, Director and Head of Asset Management, said: “The key focus of our asset management strategy since MDSR’s purchase of Festival Place has been to improve the fashion offering at the centre. Mango’s arrival marks a strong start to this programme. Being part of the brand’s growth ambitions is exciting, as it strengthens its presence in the UK this year with 20 new store openings, reflecting strong shopper demand for its offer.”
Neil Hockin, Joint Managing Director and Head of Leasing at Lunson Mitchenall, added: “It’s a significant milestone that Mango has chosen Festival Place for its flagship store – its offer aligns seamlessly with the customer demographic, and it fills a clear gap in the local market with the nearest store over 27km away. Across the high street fashion sector at LM, we’re witnessing increasing demand for prominent international brands, and Basingstoke reflects this trend strongly. This letting marks a key phase in our strategic asset management partnership with GCW and Estama to reinforce Festival Place’s standing as one of the UK’s premier retail and leisure destinations.”
Mango’s arrival is part of a series of planned additions to Festival Place, with ongoing discussions to bring further fashion retailers into the mix as part of the centre’s revitalisation strategy.
