Laings jewellers to treble space in St David’s Cardiff with £3m investment

Family-run jewellers Laings is trebling its space to 4,735 sq ft at the St David’s shopping centre in Cardiff, following a £3m investment in the company.

The vastly expanded boutique, located on The Hayes at St David’s, is set to open in October, and it will see increased space dedicated to Rolex and a Welsh debut for luxury watch brand Patek Philippe.

Laings celebrated 180 years of trading in 2020, and the transformation of its Cardiff boutique marks the beginning of a longer-term growth plan for the brand.

A key aim is to attract new talent into the industry, keeping the traditional crafts of jewellery and watchmaking alive. Laings’ national expansion will provide opportunities for both apprentices and existing watchmakers and goldsmiths, “safeguarding these artisan skills for the future”.

Joe Walsh, CEO of Laings, said: “Our showroom (boutique) is located right at the heart of Cardiff and our expanded presence here means we can give the luxury brands we represent the stage on which to shine.

“We knew that we wanted St David’s to play an integral part in our extensive national investment programme, and the expansion of our Cardiff showroom has allowed us to create a new experience for our clients, centred around the exceptional service Laings is known for. We can’t wait to unveil our new showroom to our Welsh clientele next month.”

Speaking on behalf of the St David’s Partnership, Russell Loveland, Senior Portfolio Director for Landsec, added: “The investment by brands such as Laings and subsequent introduction of global names such as Patek Philippe to the centre cements Cardiff as a key UK retail destination and builds upon the already strong line up at St David’s.

“Our approach to building collaborative relationships with our brand partners is clearly evidenced with this significant upsize. By working hand in hand, we’re helping our brands succeed, and in doing so ensuring St David’s goes from strength to strength.”

The relaunched boutique will offer an unrivalled selection of luxury watches and jewellery, including hand selected engagement rings, fine jewellery and luxury timepieces. Designed by the Espirit Group, the expanded showroom will also have dedicated diamond and jewellery areas, providing guests with the opportunity to view carefully curated collections in private.

The expansion news follows the recent opening of Swiss luxury technical watchmakers Breitling at St David’s, as well as the openings of Zara and global cosmetics leaders, Morphe.