Icon Outlet mall to reopen before rest of leisure complex

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Jun 1, 2020

Icon Outlet at The O2 is to reopen on the first day that it can with a comeback planned for June 15 as part of a phased reopening approach for the destination leisure complex.

The outlet mall has previously benefited from its location next to the giant O2 entertainment venue and also its close proximity to the nearby London Underground station, as well as the numerous casual dining locations. But with events spaces, cafes and restaurants staying shut for a while longer and many commuters unlikely to be travelling into London to work just yet, the mall will have to rely on its own intrinsic appeal.

So it will be interesting to see how it fares on reopening. It has an undeniably strong mix of brands, including Aspinal of London, Adidas, Calvin Klein, Levi’s, Nike, Ted Baker and Tommy Hilfiger.

As elsewhere, the reopening comes with enhanced social distancing and hygiene measures. There will be regular audio announcements, plus a one-way system, and card or contactless payments only. It will also see restricted hours with initial opening between 11am and 5pm. Many retailers have also changed their internal store layouts to provide more room and easier navigation. 

Additionally, to reduce reliance on enclosed public transport, up to four hours free carparking for visitors will be available until the end of July. Those wishing to avoid the roads (as well as buses and tube trains), are being encouraged to travel by Thames Clippers, which runs a frequent River Bus service from central London to North Greenwich Pier, once that service resumes.

The mall’s MD, Janine Constantin-Russell, said: “We are more than fortunate to have a large, well ventilated space alongside an experienced team who are on hand to ensure all of our visitors and staff can comfortably enjoy a safe and welcoming shopping experience. All of our brands have been busy implementing safety measures and updating their product offering. Throughout the lockdown period, we have been working hard to enhance our retail line-up and further details will be released in the coming months. Right now, we are looking forward to reopening the doors of our outlet shops and welcoming back our visitors.”