EE opens second Manchester store as it commits £6m to bricks-and-mortar retail

EE has opened its second ‘Experience’ store in Manchester, as part of a £6m commitment from the mobile network operator to bricks-and-mortar retail this year.

This comes a year after EE’s first Experience launch in Manchester, which saw a 25% boost in footfall compared to previous stores in the area.

The store at 33 Market Street is one of 10 new Experience stores set to open across the UK this year, and features a ‘Welcome Zone’, a ‘Gaming Zone, a ‘Basecamp’, and ‘Tech Live’, which allows customers to test technology before making a purchase.

This comes following research from EE which finds that Manchester is the UK’s most ‘plugged-in’ city, with residents owning more smart devices and spending more hours online than anywhere else in the country.

The research found that people living in or near Manchester now have an average of 5 smart devices in their home or on their person, compared to a national average of 4.

Asif Aziz, retail director at EE, said: “Our research shows Manchester is one of the most plugged-in cities in the UK, and more devices mean more opportunities to get the most out of all that connected tech. Almost a year on from our first Experience store launch in the Trafford Centre, which to date has seen footfall increase by 25% compared to our previous store in the area, we’re opening the doors to a brand-new location that will help even more people in this wonderful community explore their relationship with tech.”

FMX Urban Property Advisers is EE’s retained property agent.