Apple Computer plans to open a giant flagship store at 299-247 Regent Street after striking a deal with the Crown Estate.
The outlet will span 20,000 sq ft (1,858 sq m) and cost the company around £1.5m pa in rent.
It will be Apple’s first flagship store in Europe. So far it has just five other flagship stores based in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Tokyo and San Francisco.
The Crown’s deal with Apple forms part of an ambitious £500m plan to improve Regent Street.
At the end of last month, the Crown submitted applications for a scheme at the Piccadilly end of the street, which would involve redeveloping the Café Royal as a 5-star hotel and demolishing the Regent Palace Hotel and replacing it with shops and offices.
References: The Times (Broadsheet) 13/02/04 page 31
