Prestons Victoria Gate Leeds: £7m to Treble Rolex Boutique

Prestons Victoria Gate Leeds announces a £7m expansion of its Rolex boutique to 6,770 sq ft across two floors, with consultation rooms, a lounge bar, and an accredited service centre

Luxury jeweller Prestons is investing £7 million to treble the size of its Rolex boutique at Prestons Victoria Gate Leeds, creating a 6,770 sq ft flagship across two floors. The expanded store will include private consultation rooms, a lounge and bar area with a sweeping American walnut staircase, a dedicated Rolex Certified Pre-Owned section, and an accredited Rolex Authorised Service Centre with a Rolex-trained watchmaker and technician on site. The fitout begins in late 2026 with completion expected in October 2027. Prestons Victoria Gate Leeds will continue trading from an adjacent unit during the works. The expansion takes over two additional ground floor units and the entire first floor, previously home to Le Pain Quotidien.

Why This Matters For Leeds

A £7 million investment in a single retail unit is a statement of confidence in Leeds city centre when high street retail nationally is under pressure. Prestons opened the first dedicated Rolex space outside London in Leeds in 2012 – trebling its footprint 14 years later shows sustained luxury demand in the city. For Victoria Gate and owner Redical, this reinforces the eastern city centre as a premium shopping destination anchored by John Lewis.

What the Prestons Victoria Gate Leeds Expansion Includes

The expanded boutique is designed by the architects at Rolex Geneva and will feature Rolex’s latest materials and store design. The Rolex Authorised Service Centre means watches can be serviced on site by Rolex-trained specialists rather than being sent away. The Certified Pre-Owned area is a significant addition – Rolex launched its certified pre-owned programme in 2022 and it has become one of the fastest-growing segments of the luxury watch market. Managing director Karl Massey said the additional space will treble the area they currently enjoy and that Rolex has designed a boutique featuring its latest materials and store design.

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“The investment being made to upsize the store is extremely welcome. This upsizing is testament to the success Prestons has had with the Rolex brand at the centre as well as evidence of Leeds assuring itself as one of the premier shopping locations in the country.”

— Rachel Bradburn, Head of Leasing, Redical (Victoria Gate operator)

From Commercial Street to Leeds’ Luxury Quarter

The expansion is the latest chapter in Prestons’ Leeds story. The company, founded in 1869, has partnered with Rolex for more than 30 years. In 2012 it opened a dedicated Rolex boutique on Commercial Street – the first outside London in the UK. In 2019 it looked to relocate to a more premium environment and Victoria Gate, anchored by John Lewis and home to COS, Other Stories, and Anthropologie, provided that setting. The £7 million expansion confirms that the bet paid off and that Leeds can support a luxury retail destination of genuine national significance.