The Merry Hill shopping centre in Brierley Hill has undergone a significant transformation throughout 2025, welcoming a host of major new retailers and eateries. The year has been marked by a wave of fresh arrivals, revitalising the centre and promising even more for the future, with further developments already slated for 2026.
Major New Retail Arrivals and Expansions
Several high-profile brands have chosen Merry Hill for new or expanded premises this year. In a notable move for home improvement shoppers, a new 23,000 square foot B&Q branch opened in the Lower Retail Park, stocking 12,000 products and featuring a dedicated TradePoint area. Danish variety retailer Flying Tiger Copenhagen launched its new store on the lower mall in October, creating sixteen jobs and offering everything from homeware to toys.
Jewellery lovers saw Goldsmiths unveil a supersized 6,000 square foot showroom in September, complete with a dedicated Rolex room and expanded ranges from luxury watchmakers. For outdoor enthusiasts, Cotswold Outdoor opened in March, bringing top brands like The North Face and Patagonia under one roof. The year also saw Bensons for Beds and Costa coffee shop establish themselves in the Lower Retail Park area.
Fresh Dining and Leisure Experiences
The centre's food and leisure offering received a substantial boost with several exciting launches. American fried chicken chain Slim Chickens opened to huge queues in May within the Eat Central area, creating 50 jobs across its two-floor restaurant. August welcomed Burger and Sauce as the final arrival in the leisure quarter, serving its 'fresh and never frozen' menu to 54 diners.
Chocoholics were delighted by the opening of Hotel Chocolat's Velvetiser Cafe on the upper mall, where luxurious hot chocolates are whipped to a creamy texture. For a relaxed all-day dining option, the Toledo Lounge opened its doors in January in the upper mall's Leisure Quarter, offering a family-friendly menu of breakfasts, burgers, and tapas. Marks & Spencer also enhanced its presence by opening a new 92-seat Coffee Shop in October, serving breakfast rolls, toasties, and pastries.
What's Next for Merry Hill in 2026?
The transformation is set to continue into the new year. The highly anticipated Funstation is now expected to open in early 2026, taking over the final part of the former Debenhams unit. Promising an arcade, escape rooms, and mini golf, it will join Harvey Norman and XF Gym in the vast space left by Debenhams' 2021 closure.
Other notable 2025 activity included the return of the seasonal Halloween House (which later became the Christmas Shop), the relocation of Virgin Atlantic Holidays to a permanent upper mall spot, and the August launch of EE's latest EE Experience Store, where shoppers can test new tech in dedicated gaming and home zones. With this flurry of activity, Merry Hill has firmly re-established itself as a leading retail and leisure destination for the West Midlands.
