Ikea considering Oxford Street 'click and collect' store

IKEA is considering opening a “click and collect” centre on Oxford Street to save central London shoppers having to make long trips to its superstores to buy their flat-pack furniture.

The Swedish giant is in talks with the owner of the BHS store near Oxford Circus about launching a smaller format outlet.

It has already opened one in Norwich and has a second planned for Aberdeen next Spring.

IKEA has four full scale flagships outlets around Great London - at Wembley, Edmonton, Croydon and Lakeside near Thurrock in Essex.

However, recent feedback from customers found that many found its stores were too distant.

The Norwich store is about a tenth of the size of a full sized warehouse store and has a limited range of products to buy and a cafe as well as the collection facility for goods ordered online.

An IKEA spokesperson said: “Over the coming year, we plan to test three order and collection points in the UK, exploring slightly different formats in each selected market.

“We will use these tests as an opportunity to find out more about how customers want to shop with IKEA in these areas.

“The first order and collection point opened in Norwich earlier this month, with our second planned to open in Aberdeen Spring 2016.

“We are also exploring a number of other potential locations across the UK, one of which is the current BHS building on Oxford Street.

“While we are seriously considering this opportunity, we have nothing to confirm at this point in time while discussions are ongoing.”