Lefties UK launch: Liverpool ONE opening date confirmed 2026

Key Points

• Lefties, the budget fashion brand owned by Inditex (Zara’s parent company), will open its first UK store at Liverpool ONE at the end of August 2026.
• Two further UK stores are planned: Lakeside shopping centre in Essex in early October, and Gateshead’s Metrocentre in November.
• The Liverpool store will occupy the former Sports Direct and Superdry units on South John Street, creating a 50,000 sq ft site alongside other Inditex brands.
• Lefties will introduce technology including robotic hanger sorters and RFID self-checkouts already used in its European stores.
• The brand, founded in 1999, operates 215 stores across 19 markets; the UK will become its 20th.
• Lefties global director Xavier Ruz said the company is “not in a hurry to open a lot of stores” and will learn from the first three UK locations before expanding further.

Liverpool (Liverpool standard) July 31, 2026 – The first UK store of Spanish budget fashion retailer Lefties will open at Liverpool ONE at the end of August 2026, marking the brand’s official entry into the British market, according to confirmation from parent company Inditex. The opening schedule was reported by Retail Gazette and corroborated by multiple retail news outlets, with Liverpool ONE selected as the inaugural site ahead of planned stores at Lakeside in Essex and the Metrocentre in Gateshead.

What is the opening date for Lefties’ first UK store in Liverpool?

The first UK Lefties store is due to open at Liverpool ONE at the end of August 2026, with the exact day to be confirmed closer to launch, as reported by Retail Gazette and echoed in coverage by The Industry Fashion and international retail trackers. Liverpool ONE deputy centre director Donna Howitt told the Liverpool ECHO that the brand would occupy a combined unit formerly used by Sports Direct and Superdry on South John Street, positioning Lefties alongside existing Inditex-group brands including Zara, Pull&Bear, Bershka and Stradivarius.

Where will Lefties open its next UK stores after Liverpool?

Following the Liverpool debut, Lefties is scheduled to open a second UK store at Lakeside shopping centre in West Thurrock, Essex, in early October 2026, and a third at Gateshead’s Metrocentre in November, according to statements from Inditex reported by Retail Gazette and The Industry Fashion. The Metrocentre location will occupy a 50,000 sq ft central unit at the interchange between the Red and Green Mall on Town Square, directly above H Beauty, and will serve as “a key anchor” within the centre’s fashion offer, the shopping centre said.

How big is the Lefties store at Liverpool ONE?

The Liverpool ONE Lefties store will occupy a combined space previously held by Sports Direct and Superdry, creating a large-format site consistent with the brand’s European model, though the exact square footage for Liverpool has not been publicly specified. By comparison, the confirmed Metrocentre store will be 50,000 sq ft, indicating that Lefties is entering the UK with substantial floorplates designed for high-volume, value-led retail, as noted by Malls.com.

What technology will Lefties use in its UK stores?

Lefties’ UK stores will feature technology already deployed in its latest European branches, including robotic hanger sorters and radio-frequency identification (RFID) self-checkouts, according to Retail Gazette. The automated hanger system identifies discarded hangers by department and size before sorting them into boxes for staff, while the RFID checkouts recognise groups of tagged products without shoppers needing to scan each item separately, the report said. These systems are intended to support efficient operations in large-format, value-oriented stores.

Who owns Lefties and how does it compare to Primark?

Lefties is owned by Inditex, the Spanish retail group that also owns Zara, Pull&Bear, Bershka, Stradivarius and Massimo Dutti. Founded in 1999 initially as an outlet for unsold Zara stock, Lefties has since developed into a standalone brand with its own design and commercial teams based near Barcelona, offering original clothing, footwear, accessories and homeware for women, men and children. With prices starting from around £2.62 for a women’s cotton T-shirt and £11.38 for jeans, Lefties is positioned as a direct competitor to Primark and online value retailers such as Shein and Temu, according to Retail Gazette.

How many stores does Lefties have worldwide?

Lefties currently operates 215 stores across 19 markets, with the UK set to become its 20th country, as confirmed by Inditex and reported by Retail Gazette and The Industry Fashion. The brand’s existing footprint includes locations in Spain, Italy, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Egypt, among others. Despite the scale of its global network, Lefties global director Xavier Ruz said the retailer was “not in a hurry to open a lot of stores” in the UK and planned to learn from its first three locations before pursuing further growth.

What did Liverpool ONE and Inditex say about the Lefties launch?

Donna Howitt, deputy centre director at Liverpool ONE, told the Liverpool ECHO: “We’re thrilled that Lefties has chosen Liverpool ONE for one of its inaugural UK locations.” She added that Lefties would “complement the diverse retail offering at Liverpool ONE, joining several established fashion brands from the same parent company”, and noted that 2025 had already seen the arrival of global brands such as Sephora and Uniqlo at the centre. Pablo Sueiras, head of brand account management for Landsec, which owns Liverpool ONE, said:

“Our nationwide platform allows us to collaborate with leading brands, connecting them with millions of shoppers across prime locations throughout the UK. Bringing Lefties to the UK through partnership with Inditex embodies our mutual goal of introducing new concepts and experiences that resonate with consumers.”

Background of the Lefties UK development

Lefties’ UK entry follows a longer period of speculation about Inditex bringing a dedicated value brand to Britain. Retail Gazette reported in June 2025 that Inditex was searching for UK flagship sites for the low-priced chain, and by early 2026 multiple outlets had identified Liverpool ONE and Lakeside as the likely first locations. The decision to launch first in Liverpool, rather than London, aligns with a broader trend of major retailers testing or anchoring new concepts in large regional centres before expanding into the capital, as seen with other recent openings at Liverpool ONE including Sephora in 2025. The brand’s choice of large mall-based sites also reflects Inditex’s strategy of using established, high-footfall destinations to support its value-led format, rather than relying solely on high-street units.

Prediction: how could Lefties’ UK launch affect shoppers and the retail market?

For value-conscious shoppers in the north of England and beyond, the arrival of Lefties could increase competition on price and variety in the budget fashion segment, potentially putting pressure on Primark and other low-cost retailers to maintain or reduce prices and refresh ranges more frequently. For Liverpool ONE and the other selected centres, the brand’s large-format stores and Inditex backing may help sustain footfall in a market where some traditional department and mid-market chains have contracted, according to analysis by Malls.com on the shift towards “multi-category megastores” and large value formats. However, the cautious rollout – limited to three stores initially – suggests Inditex is testing demand and operational performance before committing to a wider UK network, meaning the immediate impact may be concentrated in the catchment areas of Liverpool, Essex and Gateshead rather than nationwide.