Right stores right places
- More stores on the Edge of Town
- Good growth potential
- Modern stores
- Low cost model
- London's best health & beauty store
- Layout
- Signage
Notes
All retail groups have to constantly review their property portfolios and we have been clear that we are no different. The biggest challenge is to make sure that we have enough stores in the higher growth retail areas. For us, the key focus is getting more edge-of-town stores. This is one of the fastest growing areas of retail and we had not followed this trend. You have to have your stores sited where customers want to shop.
We have developed our thinking in this area over the past year. Modern stores give us the chance to put all that is best about Boots under one roof - a world-beating pharmacy, a great beauty hall and a comprehensive baby selection along with everything else we offer. It is also about our latest thinking on store layout, clear signage and the best way to provide great service.
And we have been working very hard to control the cost of developing such stores. We managed to open a new edge-of-town store in Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales at substantially lower cost than previous similar outlets. And since its opening it is trading well ahead of budget.
One of the most high profile stores we have opened is our new store on Oxford Street in London. Boots has suffered for some time because we have lots of small stores in the capital and not enough big outlets.
Our new store trades over four floors - AND IS LONDON'S BEST HEALTH AND BEAUTY STORE.
We are also about to move our London office into the building as well. So, when in London, we will be living over the shop!
LINK: Even our most modern stores are not enough on their own - Boots customers want great service
