Cotswolds Designer Outlet: The new retail destination aiming to be accessible to everyone

A brand new designer outlet has opened in the English countryside in what has been described as the only major retail destination opening in the UK in 2025.

Retail Week was the first to visit the Cotswolds Designer Outlet shortly after its launch to discover what it has to offer shoppers.

Arriving just after opening time on a cloudy Thursday in July, the village-esque outlet located in the town of Tewkesbury is modern­ yet-charming.

It’s surprising to see the Cotswolds Designer Outlet bustling with shoppers at 10am, but this is a brand new opening launching during the summer holidays. Still, the amount of people hitting the shops is surely a good sign.

A long time in the making, regional developer and investor Robert Hitchins explored the potential for a new Cotswolds retail destination many years ago.

Its property and development director Simon Tothill explains that “location drives everything” and knew the area could draw people in from nearby   Gloucestershire, Cheltenham, and the Cotswolds.

The main train station is also less than 10 minutes away and the M5’s Junction 9 is on the outlet’s doorstep, with 4.5m people living within the 60-minute drive time according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Specialist manager of retail and leisure destinations Multi-Realm was brought on board to assist with leasing and operations. Tothill remembers the work the team put in to get some units pre-let, which helped it become 98% let upon opening.

“The team managed to gauge the interest of some retailers very early on, and that started to gain momentum,” he explains.  “It’s quite an ask for a brand to agree to take accommodation by looking a field with nothing yet built.

“We got to a place with sufficient pre-lettings in place and the confidence it would happen – but it was very much visionary at the start:’

A new destination

Quite similar in appearance to Bicester village in Oxfordshire, Cotswold Designer Outlet doesn’t offer Prada or Gucci – but still caters to the premium customer with the likes of Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, and Boss.

There’s also staples of the high street such as M&S, Adidas, ProCook and The Perfume Shop.

Multi Realm managing director Dan Mason makes it clear that it is “not trying to compete with Bicester” by being a luxury outlet, but instead creating something for everyone rather than a “small proportion of society”.

“We wanted to develop something that didn’t alienate anyone;’ Mason says.

“It’s got to be accessible, appealing, and the quality has to be right. It has to cater to the local customers and tourists alike.”

“It isn’t an essential shop as we don’t have grocery stores or a pharmacy. So, it has to be a place where people choose to come for a day out.”

Daily sales data and footfall counters help inform the team on which brands are doing well and not so well, with data also able to alert stores of new stock to bring in.

For example, on a particularly rainy day, sports retailers might see an influx of visitors looking for raincoats and waterproof shoes.

Sometimes, certain things can’t be forecast. Mason reveals that during the first week of the outlet trading some retailers have had to get more stock in and send extra staff from other national stores as they didn’t anticipate the number of visitors.

Current occupiers

Fashion, accessories, and sport: Boss, Adidas, Animal, Ben Sherman, French Connection, Radley, Dune, Levi’s, Under Armour, Skopes, Guess, Saltrock, The North Face, M&S, Weird Fish, Sweaty Betty, Regatta, Puma, Skechers, Mountain Warehouse, Samsonite, Hobbs, Craghoppers, Crew Clothing, Chapelle, Merrell, Pavers

Homewares: Denby, ProCook, Tefal, Bedeck

Beauty and gifting: The Beauty Outlet, Rituals, Cadburys, Lindt, Hallmark, Yankee Candle, Perfume Shop

Food & beverage: 200 Degrees, Pret A Manger, Five Guys, Zizzi, Wagamama, Caffe Nero, KNEAD Bakery

A day out

To be viewed as a destination where locals and tourists flock to for a day out, the outlet has to offer enough services and shops to extend dwell time.

Everything has been well planned out. From the benches to children’s play areas, dog friendly shops and a unit for guest services, these are the things contributing to what Tothill says is a “safe, comfortable, friendly, and accessible environment’:

“We provide the facilities, and the idea is to be as welcoming as possible in an attractive space;’ he adds.

Mason echoes this, saying that while it’s too early to determine the average dwell time, the space is designed for people to “slow down” and go round the outlet several times.

“Not only this, but shoppers are also going into Tewkesbury, visiting the adjacent Dobbies, booking visits around the Cotswolds and looking at other attractions;’ he explains.

“We want to work with other tourist attractions and enhance the guest experience. There will be more to come on that with the introduction of our app in August:’

Services on site

■  Unit for guest services

■  Benches and seating areas

■  Baby changing and feeding facilities

■  Dog-friendly shopping

■  Dog selfie station

■  Click and collect services

■  Wheelchair and pram accessible throughout outlet

■  Florist and food kiosks

■  Free play area for children

■  Shuttle bus services

■  Quiet room for praying and for neurodivergent visitors

Preparing for phase two

Though Cotswolds Designer Outlet may look finished, there is still phase two to come.Adding another 50,000 sq ft to the existing 132,700 sq ft, phase two will be architecturally the same as the current space and will be built on the existing car park.

The offering will also be similar. Mason says that current brands have been chosen for their “quality”, and this will be maintained to keep up with the premium feel to the destination

“Leisure brands offering gym wear is an important market for us. We’d also like to see more aspirational premium menswear such as suits and smart jackets

He teases that he would like to see another big name come on board.

“I can’t say who we’re targeting, but we’d like to see another quality sports brand here as Adidas is currently trading well

Though it’s too early to truly measure the success of Cotswolds Designer Outlet, initial signs are incredibly positive. Now, the focus is on gearing up for phase two. While there is no set date for launch, Tothill says: “I want to see some data first, but we’re looking to really kick off within the next 12 months.”

As published in Retail Week 1st August 2025.