Ikea says it wants to “change the lives” of people in the city with its new store.
The Swedish furniture company’s owner Ingka bought Churchill Square shopping centre in Brighton last year.
An Ikea City will open in the former Debenhams store there, which has been empty since 2021.
But while the shop will not open until at least this autumn and plans for the rest of the shopping centre are yet to be revealed, Ingka says it will be making vast improvements.
“We are excited about the opportunity to bring positive value to the vibrant and growing city of Brighton and Hove, enriching the lives of its diverse community,” said a spokesman.
“The next milestone will be opening an Ikea City store and we will be working alongside our partners and the wider community to make everyday life better for the many people of Brighton and Hove.
“We are eager to embark on the planning stage for shaping and delivering an affordable, sustainable range of destination retail, food offer, services and amenities.”
In 2022, Ingka opened its first shopping centre in Hammersmith’s King’s Mall, changing the name to Livat, but has not confirmed if the same will apply to its Brighton site.
“At this stage it’s too early to reveal all our plans and we don’t have a ‘one size fits all’ approach to our meeting places,” said the spokesman.
“But please be confident that we are planning to boost the appeal and value of Churchill Square for the many people of Brighton and Hove and its visitors.”
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The new Ikea will sell about 6,000 of the brand’s best-loved products and will be the third City store in the UK, following one in Oxford Street later this year.
Peter Jekelby, country retail manager and chief sustainability officer at Ikea UK and Ireland, said: “Sussex has long been an area of interest to us and we really look forward to bringing Ikea closer to where our customers live, work and socialise and becoming a part of this vibrant community.”
Ikea City will also include a Swedish deli, where customers can buy the retailer's famous meatballs, with a plant-based equivalent also available.
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