[UK] New store opening in Bristol tomorrow
Posted by Huw,
The UK's latest brand store, at Cribbs Causeway shopping centre near Bristol, opens at 10am tomorrow.
It's a bit of a mystery why the location was chosen for a new store when it's so close to the branch in the centre of the city, particularly as there are other parts of the country crying out for one, but at least it's much easier to get to by car, being just off the M5, junction 17.
Those visiting the store on or before the 10th of November will receive 40528 LEGO Brand Retail Store on purchases over £120.
The shop, which is near Boots on the upper floor of the centre, hosted a press/AFOL event this evening at which our Bristol-based correspondent Emily took the photos of the inside that you'll find after the break.
Attendees were able to build a model of a cat to take home.
The new-style pick-a-brick wall has a few interesting elements, including botanical ones.
Store manager Ben.
Will you be visiting tomorrow?
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35 comments on this article
Nope, I won't, sadly. Too far to travel and I'm busy.
Will you be visiting, @Huw ?
Too right theres other parts of the country crying out for a store. Can think of loads of large towns and cities without a proper brand location so it does seem an odd decision to open another so close to a current location.
@HJB2810 said:
"Nope, I won't, sadly. Too far to travel and I'm busy.
Will you be visiting, @Huw ?"
No, it's a 2 hour trip from here.
No, I won’t be in the UK tomorrow.
I would not be surprised if they don't close the town centre one when the lease lapses/is due for renewal, it's right down near the jewellery end of town, rolex and other sparkly shops are nearby, etc. the rent there must be sky high, with all the restrictions on cars going into the city, etc. Cribbs might be a cheaper option and a higher footfall?
Will be making the trip myself, whiles not my local it will be my preferred store for sure just cause of its being in Cribbs Causeway.
My closest store is Birmingham (roughly 50 mins away), this one will be 1hr 10 from me, but with free parking, better selection of retailers in Cribbs compared to Bullring and a less hectic drive, this store just seems more logical for me. Anything to avoid Birmingham City Centre, and Bristol's for that fact (not a fan of that store, too small and parking and driving into central Bristol somehow worse than Brum!)
Now if they'd open a store in Merry Hill, different story but doubt that will happen any time soon, other areas in need a store anyway.
@Huw just a note, the Tote and Delivery Truck GWP's start next week (14th - 17th), just the free LEGO Store set from tomorrow - 10th Nov plus the current Books GWP.
New store in NZ when?
@Maxbricks14 said:
"New store in NZ when?"
And where would they put it? Hamilton & Tauranga are less than half the size of Christchurch and Wellington. And they are probably considered too close to the Auckland store. Anywhere further away from the current stores and it wouldn't have the population base to justify a store.
@Miyakan said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:
"New store in NZ when?"
And where would they put it? Hamilton & Tauranga are less than half the size of Christchurch and Wellington. And they are probably considered too close to the Auckland store. Anywhere further away from the current stores and it wouldn't have the population base to justify a store."
Tauranga would be convenient for me please.
If Lego are reading this Aberdeen would be a great location for the next store, or possibly Inverness :)
Free parking and 30 mins from my house, yes I’ll be going.
Will the instore exclusive GWPs stack with the current GWPs?
I need a store in Norwich, London is hampered by the trains and the congestion charges, while the other alternative is Milton Keynes, over 2 hours away.
That's why I order so much online, it's a lot easier.
@Huw said:
" @HJB2810 said:
"Nope, I won't, sadly. Too far to travel and I'm busy.
Will you be visiting, @Huw ?"
No, it's a 2 hour trip from here."
Huw, I think you might have accidently doxxed yourself with your google maps link there
@Minifig290 said:
"Now if they'd open a store in Merry Hill, different story but doubt that will happen any time soon, other areas in need a store anyway.
@Huw just a note, the Tote and Delivery Truck GWP's start next week (14th - 17th), just the free LEGO Store set from tomorrow - 10th Nov plus the current Books GWP."
Merry Hill would be a perfect 30 min walk for me. I could see the business sense insofar as the parking is what makes the centre so attractive for a lot of shoppers coming from quite far afield (Used to do postcode surveys for a store I worked at in the centre). Whether it would quite make the revenue as a premium store, I don't know. Westfield tried filling the centre with Bullring brands, and it didn't work
Annoying
I'm on my way !
The queue is long!
The layout seems to be the usual airport shop with all the shelf space needed for boxes with a couple of displays like the Botanical House in the 2nd photo? The marketing people feel this format works so the only reason to go, apart from opening freebies, GWP etc, is the 'pick & build' display. However, this looks the usual confusing 'odds n ends' with the top half unreachable (see photo of confused customer). I would prefer just 'basic' bricks, plates, wheels, doors, windows etc. displayed horizontally in tubs like an ice-cream parlor.
@daniellesa said:
"I need a store in Norwich, London is hampered by the trains and the congestion charges, while the other alternative is Milton Keynes, over 2 hours away.
That's why I order so much online, it's a lot easier."
Or Cambridge as MK is an hour and a half from me and Bluewater about the same, but wrong side of the river. Not going anywhere near Westfield, which is again nearly 2 hours away.
How do I get invites to AFOL events like this?!
I'm looking forward to this store opening, centre of Bristol is 35 mins from me, but I think I might have been to the Lego store there once, a very long time ago. Cribbs is 27 mins away, but free parking and lots of it, and much easier to get to. I am going on Monday, which is annoying as I'll miss the offers, but I will probably visit here many times in the future!!
As others have said they may decide to close the centre of Bristol one depending on footfall when Cribbs opens.
@Paul_DLH said:
"I would not be surprised if they don't close the town centre one when the lease lapses/is due for renewal, it's right down near the jewellery end of town, rolex and other sparkly shops are nearby, etc. the rent there must be sky high, with all the restrictions on cars going into the city, etc. Cribbs might be a cheaper option and a higher footfall?"
Given that Bristol is my local store I tend to agree that the Cabot Circus one is now on borrowed time. Whilst I can understand London having four (?) stores, it doesn't seem to make sense there being two in Bristol.
@lisafrp said:
"How do I get invites to AFOL events like this?! "
Join https://brickish.org/
@Huw said:
" @lisafrp said:
"How do I get invites to AFOL events like this?! "
Join https://brickish.org/
"
Thank you, I will sign up now!
Having lived near Cribbs, I fully understand the decision to open one. Getting into the city can be a royal pain. Whereas Cribbs has plenty of parking, lots of shopping and entertainment, is on the bus route and right off the M5 motorway. Cabot Circus involves dealing with busy traffic, limited parking and frequent one way streets. The Bristol store should always have been in Crabbs in my opinion.
I'm guessing that long term Bristol won't have two stores, not when there's some obvious cities that don't have one. Nottingham seems like a likely candidate, also maybe York. Leeds is fairly close but York gets loads of tourists, and the next nearest store going north up the east coast is Newcastle which is a long way.
It would probably depend partly on how much Lego has to pay for the Bristol building and how much footfall Bristol loses to Cribbs Causeway. My guess is that Cribbs being sited right off the M5 will pull in more footfall than you would expect from Worcestershire and Shropshire folks who can't be bothered with Birmingham. If Bristol's Christmas figures remain strong this year, I doubt Lego would bother to rock the boat.
(Middle management peon in retail)
Norwich next please, it would make me very happy
I'd be a bit surprised if they closed Cabot in the near future. It, along with Cardiff, always seem really busy, often too busy, and so Cribbs seems like a good way to ease the pressure off both stores. That said, Cabot has been losing tenants like nobody's business this year, so it's definitely possible.
Whilst selfishly I'm happy about the new store here (it's now my new local at "only" 90 minutes away), I do agree it seems odd to prioritise here over Plymouth or Exeter for the south west, or the likes of Nottingham or Norwich elsewhere.
@Maxbricks14 said:
"New store in NZ when?"
I know right. Toyworld is just as expensive and sometimes more so Warehouse gets my custom usually in Ham, but always pop in the Akl store when up there.
Typically though, we left Bristol in 2019 and within 5 years two Lego stores have opened!!!!!
@anisboy said:
" @Maxbricks14 said:
"New store in NZ when?"
I know right. Toyworld is just as expensive and sometimes more so Warehouse gets my custom usually in Ham, but always pop in the Akl store when up there.
Typically though, we left Bristol in 2019 and within 5 years two Lego stores have opened!!!!!"
Yes, I agree. Although Toyworld is just as good a store for Lego. It offers the same GWPs you'd get in a Lego store.
They have plushies there?!
Also the PaB wall seems to be same over and over for every country now. Its a solid selection, bit i yearn for something new. Fern pieces pleaseeeee
Having left Bristol last year and now living in Darwin, Australia, the nearest store is a 4 and a half hour plane ride. Could've gone Lego shopping whilst waiting for wifey to finish work :o(
Coming from Plymouth we regularly make the trip to Cabot circus for our Lego fix, but this will be alot more convenient.