Global Blue to launch VIP London lounge
Global Blue is to open its second largest VIP Globe Shopper Lounge to date in London’s Mayfair.
The news follows the opening of lounges in Milan, Rome, Venice, Madrid, Munich and Paris which in 2017 attracted 130,000 guests who were invited by merchants in stores across Europe.
The launch of the London Lounge this month will coincide with one of the UK’s biggest months for international spend. According to Global Blue’s figures, spending in August 2017 rose by 7% year-on-year and by 16% amongst Chinese shoppers.
Global Blue is predicting that the London lounge will welcome over 3,500 visitors in its first month of operating as it looks to provide a location for merchants and partners to engage with high net worth travellers.
Spanning four rooms across 240 square metres, the lounges will offer a variety of marketing opportunities for merchants. Those collaborating with the London Lounge in 2018 include the likes of MaxMara, Aquazzura, Fortnum & Mason and Longchamp. In addition, Fortnum & Mason will be providing a quintessential British tea experience while MaxMara is taking over an entire room.
Derrick Hardman, managing director UK and Ireland at Global Blue, said: “After witnessing the incredible success of each Global Blue Lounge across Europe, we are thrilled to be opening the UK’s first VIP Globe Shopper Lounge in London.
“We are very much looking forward to delivering this exciting initiative in August, which will further boost the appeal of London to affluent globe shoppers.”
Visitors will also be able to relax and use Global Blue’s early tax free refunding service as well as benefit from the service of five multi-lingual experts, complimentary Wi-Fi and a dedicated shopping consultancy.
After targeting and connecting with shoppers at the lounge, merchants can also measure the impact of their campaigns via Global Blue’s tracking system, which examines new leads, drive-to-store activations and conversions in-store.
Jace Tyrrell, chief executive of New West End Company, which represents 600 businesses in London’s West End and Mayfair, said: “With a quarter of visitors to London’s West End and Mayfair coming from abroad and spending on average £3.5 billion a year, the opening of the VIP Globe Shopper Lounge will be a great addition to an already world-class shopping experience.
“It opens as we complete our £10 million makeover of Bond Street and the new multi-billion pound Elizabeth line arrives, linking the West End to Heathrow Airport in under 30 minutes. Together these make the West End the number one shopping and leisure destination for tourists.”
The lounge will be situated on Albemarle Street and will be open from 10am until 7pm Monday to Saturday and from 12pm until 6.30pm on Sunday.
