Whiteleys

Whiteleys was a major London retail institution whose history began when William Whiteley opened a drapery shop at 31 Westbourne Grove in 1863. The business expanded rapidly during the Victorian period, developing from a clothing and fabrics retailer into a broad department store offering dressmaking, household services, food, building and decorating supplies, refreshments, delivery, and other consumer services. Its scale and range made it one of the capital's most prominent department stores, alongside establishments such as Selfridge's, Liberty and Harrods. The business was innovative but also controversial. Whiteley's extensive expansion challenged smaller local traders and attracted opposition to its construction plans. Several fires affected the company during the 1880s, culminating in the destruction of the Westbourne Grove store in 1887. The premises were rebuilt, but the business subsequently moved to a purpose-built location on Queensway, then known as Queens Road. The new store opened on 2 November 1911 and was presented as one of the largest shops in the world. Designed by John Belcher and John James Joass, it combined retail space with elaborate architectural features and leisure amenities, including a theatre and a rooftop golf course. The building was later extended between 1925 and 1927. Whiteleys became part of the Selfridge sphere in 1927, when Selfridge acquired the business. The department store sustained wartime damage during an air raid in 1940, and post-war changes in ownership and use reduced the coherence of its original retail operation. In the 1950s, upper floors were converted to offices because the building was considered too large for its turnover. These spaces were associated with LEO Computers and later International Computers Limited. United Drapery Stores acquired Whiteleys in 1961, but the department store eventually closed in 1981 after a long period of declining performance. The building remained empty until a redevelopment partnership acquired it in 1986. Following extensive reconstruction, Whiteleys reopened on 26 July 1989 as a shopping centre. Although the historic façade and selected interior elements were retained, much of the original structure was rebuilt. The shopping centre struggled to establish a compelling retail identity. From 2005, management attempted to reposition it through interior improvements, restaurant changes and food-focused retail, including the Food Inc food hall introduced in 2008. These initiatives did not prevent the centre from being viewed as an underperforming destination. Meyer Bergman acquired the centre in September 2013. Whiteleys closed in December 2018 for a major redevelopment, later described as a Norman Foster-designed mixed-use project. The plan substantially reduced the amount of retail space while adding 139 condominium apartments, a hotel intended to be the United Kingdom's first Six Senses hotel, and ground-floor retail units. The redevelopment also formed part of the wider regeneration of Queensway Parade. By this stage, Whiteleys had ceased to operate as the former shopping centre, while the name remained associated with the listed building, its heritage and the new mixed-use scheme.

William Whiteley established the business in 1863 with a drapery shop at 31 Westbourne Grove in Bayswater. By 1867, the operation had expanded into a row of shops containing 17 departments. Dressmaking followed in 1868, while a house agency and refreshment room were added in 1872. Whiteleys began selling food in 1875 and introduced a building and decorating department the following year. The latter was especially profitable because the surrounding area contained many large stuccoed houses requiring regular maintenance. The retailer developed a broad operating infrastructure. It offered delivery over a radius of up to 25 miles and acquired farmland and food-processing facilities to supply the store and employee catering. By 1890, more than 6,000 people worked for the business directly, with many staff housed in company dormitories. The company became known for its extraordinary scale and extensive range, but its growth generated opposition from smaller traders and local authorities. Four serious fires affected the business during the 1880s; the largest, in 1887, destroyed much of the Westbourne Grove store. The premises were rebuilt, and the company continued to expand. In 1896, Whiteleys received a Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria. William Whiteley was murdered in 1907 by Horace George Rayner, who claimed to be his illegitimate son. After Whiteley's death, the board allowed leases on several Westbourne Grove properties to lapse and relocated the business to a purpose-built store on Queens Road, now Queensway. Designed by John Belcher and John James Joass, the new building opened on 2 November 1911 in a ceremony attended by the Lord Mayor of London. It was promoted as one of the world's largest shops. The building was extended between 1925 and 1927, and in 1927 the business was acquired by Harry Gordon Selfridge. The store suffered bomb damage during an air raid on 19 October 1940. In the post-war period, changing ownership and declining retail productivity altered its role. During the 1950s, the upper floors were converted into offices because the store was judged too large for its sales. LEO Computers used part of the space, and International Computers Limited later occupied offices and training facilities there. The office accommodation was known as Hartree House. United Drapery Stores purchased Whiteleys in 1961. A market survey in the late 1970s concluded that the principal problem was insufficient customer traffic rather than widespread dissatisfaction among existing customers. The department store nevertheless closed in 1981. The building stood empty until a partnership acquired it in 1986 and undertook a substantial reconstruction. Although the façade, stairs and railings were retained in places, most of the building was effectively rebuilt. A tower-crane accident during the works killed the crane driver and seriously injured an electrician. Whiteleys reopened as a shopping centre on 26 July 1989. The new format did not achieve the desired retail performance and acquired a reputation as an underperforming destination. From 2005, a new management approach attempted to improve the interior and reshape the tenant mix. McDonald's was replaced by Le Café Anglais, operated by restaurateur Rowley Leigh, and the central mall was adapted for food retail. In June 2008, Food Inc opened as a large food hall offering fresh fish, meat, dry goods and wine, including products associated with the centre's own farm. Meyer Bergman acquired the centre in September 2013. Whiteleys closed in December 2018 for redevelopment, in parallel with work on Queensway Parade. The proposed scheme reduced retail space by approximately 65 percent and introduced residential apartments, a gym, cinema, hotel and street-level shops. The later project was described as a Norman Foster-designed mixed-use asset containing 139 condominium apartments, the United Kingdom's first Six Senses hotel and ground-floor retail units. In October 2019, Laing O'Rourke won the main construction contract. The historic department-store and shopping-centre operation therefore gave way to a heritage-led mixed-use property project.

1. 2019Laing O'Rourke wins construction contract

   Laing O'Rourke is selected to carry out the redevelopment works.

   Source
2. 2018Closure for mixed-use redevelopment

   Whiteleys closes in December for conversion into a residential, hotel and retail scheme.

   Source
3. 2013Meyer Bergman acquires the centre

   Meyer Bergman purchases Whiteleys in September.

   Source
4. 2008Food Inc opens

   The centre introduces Food Inc, a large food-focused retail hall offering fresh and prepared provisions.

   Source
5. 1989Shopping centre reopens

   The reconstructed building reopens as a shopping centre on 26 July.

   Source
6. 1981Department store closes

   The department-store operation shuts after a period of declining performance.

   Source
7. 1961United Drapery Stores acquisition

   United Drapery Stores purchases Whiteleys for £1.75 million.

   Source
8. 1940Wartime bomb damage

   The Queensway store is damaged during an air raid on 19 October.

   Source
9. 1927Acquisition by Selfridge

   Harry Gordon Selfridge acquires the Whiteleys business.

   Source
10. 1911Queensway department store opens

    A new purpose-built store opens on Queens Road, now Queensway, on 2 November.

    Source
11. 1907Founder is murdered

    William Whiteley is killed by Horace George Rayner, who claimed to be his illegitimate son.

    Source
12. 1896Royal Warrant received

    Whiteleys receives a Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria.

    Source
13. 1887Westbourne Grove store destroyed by fire

    A major fire devastates the original store after several earlier fires during the decade.

    Source
14. 1875Food sales begin

    The business enters food retail as part of its expanding department-store offer.

    Source
15. 1872Expansion beyond drapery

    Whiteleys adds a house agency and refreshment room, broadening its service model beyond clothing and fabrics.

    Source
16. 1863William Whiteley opens a drapery shop

    William Whiteley begins the business at 31 Westbourne Grove in Bayswater, London.

    Source

Historically positioned as a comprehensive, luxury-oriented London department store offering an unusually broad range of retail and household services. After reopening in 1989, it was repositioned as a shopping centre, later receiving a more food- and hospitality-led strategy. Its current identity is primarily heritage and property-oriented, connected to the redevelopment of the Grade II listed building.

• Whiteleys department-store merchandiseDepartment-store retail1863

  The historic Whiteleys department store sold a wide variety of goods and services under one roof. Its offer extended from clothing, drapery and dressmaking to food, wine, household supplies, building and decorating materials, refreshments and agency services. The breadth of departments was central to Whiteleys' identity and helped establish it as one of London's leading early department stores.

• Food IncFood hall2008

  Food Inc was a food-focused retail concept introduced at the shopping centre in June 2008. It was designed as a larger and more polished food-hall format, selling fresh fish, meat, dry goods and wine. The concept formed part of an attempt to make Whiteleys more relevant as a destination by emphasizing food and hospitality rather than relying solely on conventional retail tenants.

• Whiteleys mixed-use redevelopmentMixed-use property2018

  The post-2018 scheme reimagined the former shopping centre as a mixed-use asset. The plans described a Norman Foster-designed development with 139 condominium apartments, a Six Senses hotel and ground-floor retail space, alongside wider regeneration around Queensway Parade. This project substantially reduced the building's retail footprint and shifted Whiteleys from a shopping-centre model toward residential, hotel and curated retail uses.

• 2018Closure and mixed-use redevelopmentStrategy

  Meyer Bergman sought to regenerate Whiteleys and the adjoining Queensway Parade area after years of weak shopping-centre performance.

  What changed. The centre closed in December 2018, with plans to reduce retail space and add residential apartments, a hotel, leisure uses and ground-floor shops.

  Aftermath. Whiteleys ceased operating as a shopping centre and entered a property redevelopment phase.

  Source
• 2005Food and hospitality-led repositioningStrategy

  The shopping centre had developed a reputation as an underperforming retail destination.

  What changed. Management pursued physical improvements, revised the restaurant mix and increased the emphasis on food, including the later Food Inc concept.

  Aftermath. The changes produced a more food-oriented offer but did not prevent the centre from closing for comprehensive redevelopment in 2018.

  Source
• 1989Conversion from department store to shopping centreStrategy

  After the department store closed in 1981 and the building was acquired for redevelopment in 1986, the property was extensively reconstructed.

  What changed. The historic building reopened on 26 July 1989 as a multi-tenant shopping centre rather than a single department store.

  Aftermath. The shopping-centre format struggled to attract sufficient customers and was subsequently subjected to further repositioning efforts.

  Source

• 2019Laing O'Rourke selected for Whiteleys redevelopment

  Laing O'Rourke was announced as the successful construction contractor for the redevelopment, ahead of rival Sir Robert McAlpine.

  Other
  Source
• 2018Whiteleys closes for redevelopment

  The Whiteleys shopping centre closed in December 2018 to enable conversion of the historic building into a mixed-use development with residential, hotel and retail components.

  Other
  Source

1. Whiteleys