Five years after it closed all of its UK high street outlets, iconic fashion brand Topshop will return to the high street – including Liverpool – in 2026. Tony McDonough reports
Iconic fashion brand Topshop is to return to the UK high street five years after the closure of all its UK stores.
Topshop disappeared from the high street in February 2021 following the collapse of Sir Philip Green’s retail empire Arcadia which also owned Topman, Burton, Dorothy Perkins and Miss Selfridge.
Online retailer Asos swooped in to acquire the Topshop, Topman and Miss Selfridge brands. Until now Topshop and Topman have remained just e-commerce entities but from February 2026 they will once again have a physical presence.
Topshop merchandise will be available in 32 John Lewis stores, including the outlet at Liverpool ONE. However, Topman will be available in just six stores and not Liverpool.
Topshop’s original Liverpool store had pride of place on the city’s premier shopping location Church Street. Liverpool ONE owner Landsec is currently refurbishing that 68,000 sq ft space and dividing it into multiple retail units.
“Customers absolutely want to see us back in stores and we want to bring that nationwide,” said Michelle Wilson, managing director of Topshop and Topman.
Topshop’s spring collection in 2026 will offer 120 items, curated by John Lewis and the brand will be given a “prime position” in stores, according to Peter Ruis, managing director at John Lewis.
He added: “I think the best fashion brands are multi-generational. The brilliance of Topshop is it is so affordable.”
Graham Soult, a retail consultant, told the BBC the partnership between John Lewis and Topshop was “a canny move for both brands”.
“If you’re Topshop, you’ve got a customer base who have a real affection for the brand,” he said. And for John Lewis, “it gets the name out there in a positive way” and draws in new customers. Maybe this will be a template for how you bring back an iconic name.”
Despite a tough environment for bricks and mortar retailing Liverpool ONE’s recent track record suggests Liverpool ONE will be successful in letting the units at the former Topshop site.
In 2024 Landsec acquired the complex from Grosvenor for £490m and it was also a year that saw multiple new lettings. This year is set to be even better with Liverpool ONE boasting it will be the biggest year for openings since its launch in 2008.