Monki to open its first store in the north in Manchester Arndale

H&M-owned Monki has signed for its first store in the north of England at Manchester Arndale. The new 5,000 sq ft store will take the brand's UK store count to five.

Monki, which fuses Scandinavian cool with Asian street style, arrived in the UK with its first store on London's Carnaby Street in 2012. It has since added further stores in Bristol, Westfield Stratford and Glasgow. The new store will be located on New Cannon Street within Manchester Arndale.

News of the planned opening follows on from the arrival at the centre of Australian accessories brand Colette by Colette Hayman at the end of last year, which was a new entrant to the UK market.

“The fact that leading, internationally known brands, choose the centre as a key location for their expansion in Northern England, is further testament to Manchester Arndale’s prominent position as one of the UK’s leading retail hubs," said asset manager at M&G Real Estate, Kannika Mall, on behalf of the centre's joint owners M&G Real Estate and intu.

“Manchester Arndale is the ideal location for exciting brands seeking to expand and grow their UK presence, as we have seen with the latest arrivals of exciting fashion brands such as Victoria’s Secret and Paul Smith,” Mall added.