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London’s Oxford Street has been dealt a fresh blow after Microsoft confirmed the closure of its flagship London store.
The US tech giant said it would be shutting its so-called experience centre in February, six years after it first opened.
Bosses said the decision to close the 21,000 sq ft store stems from the company’s push for “digital growth”, leaving Britain’s busiest shopping street with another prominent space to fill.
The three-storey store opened with great fanfare in 2019, boasting giant video walls and an Xbox gaming lounge.
A Microsoft spokesman said: “To better align with its focus on digital growth, Microsoft has decided to exit the lease at the Microsoft Experience Centre in London early.
“We regularly review our locations and our workforce to ensure we are aligning to market opportunities and make changes to meet the demands of the business.”
The closure, first reported by Windows Central, marks a fresh setback for Oxford Street.
Nike recently confirmed that it is temporarily shutting its NikeTown megastore to prepare for a “grand reopening”, while Ikea has delayed the launch of its new London flagship at the former Topshop store until spring.
It has also recently emerged that a clutch of fashion retailers do not intend to renew their leases on Oxford Street once they expire, according to planning documents filed with Westminster City Council earlier this month.
The retailers include Zara, River Island, Urban Outfitters, Swarovski and Bershka.
Oxford Street was once the retail sector’s crown jewel but has suffered in recent years from a series of high-profile closures. This has led to an influx of American candy shops and souvenir sellers.
Marks & Spencer boss Stuart Machin previously described the street as a “national embarrassment”.
However, some brands have continued to put their faith in the shopping street, such as Abercrombie & Fitch and HMV.
Abercrombie is opening a two-floor shop after closing its Regent Street site, while HMV returned to its former store near Bond Street station in 2023.
In an effort to turn its fortunes around, Sir Sadiq Khan has set out plans to pedestrianise the street as part of a £150m investment plan.
Sir Sadiq said last year: “Oxford Street was once the jewel in the crown of Britain’s retail sector, but there’s no doubt that it has suffered hugely over the last decade. Urgent action is needed to give the nation’s most famous high street a new lease of life.”
However, the Mayor of London’s plans have proved controversial with the Labour-run Westminster City Council, businesses and residents, which have raised several concerns including the project’s scope to displace traffic to nearby streets.