Women’s activewear retailer Sweaty Betty wants to double its store portfolio within five years and is poised to unveil a new shopfit at its London Soho shop.
The retailer has 20 standalone stores and four concessions at present, predominantly in London and the Southeast.

Founder and managing director Simon Hill-Norton said there aren’t any stores in the pipeline at present because “with the credit crunch it’s hard to think more than six months’ ahead”, but added: “We’re waiting for unmissable deals.”

Sweaty Betty will open its revamped Soho store at Kingly Court on November 3. It has been designed by London consultancy Caulder Moore.
Hill-Norton said the design is more aspirational, with wooden floors and mosaic tiling on the walls, replacing vinyl and wallpaper. There are also gym-style elements, such as climbing bars, on the store’s exterior.

He added that it is likely branded elements of the new design will be applied through the portfolio next year, and that this would mean new graphics and point-of-sale material in the stores.

The Kingly Court design follows a consumer survey carried out by the retailer last year that found shoppers felt the retailer needed to provide a more upscale environment to stay ahead of the competition.

Hill-Norton said that Sweaty Betty customers tend to be at the more contemporary end of activewear consumers.

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