Microsoft is closing its flagship London retail store

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft is closing its flagship London retail store
Oxford Circus "Experience Centre" will shut in February
Opened in July 2019, it was part store, part demo zone, part press briefing space

Microsoft has announced it is closing its flagship physical retail store in London as part of apparent plans to scale back operations.

The company has confirmed the plans, telling Windows Central it will be ending its lease on London's Oxford Circus earlier than planned.

The 21,000 square foot store, set across three floors, will now be closing in February 2025 after six years in operation.

Microsoft closing London store

"To better align with its focus on digital growth, Microsoft has decided to exit the lease at the Microsoft Experience Centre in London early," a company spokesperson told Windows Central.

"We regularly review our locations and our workforce to ensure we are aligning to market opportunities and make changes to meet the demands of the business."

The store, set on one of London's busiest (and presumably most expensive) settings, first opened in July 2019. Located just a few spaces up from Apple's flagship London store, the centre was Microsoft's big pitch to show off its huge range of products and services from casual shoppers, with displays of Xbox and Surface hardware alongside third-party offerings.

The store also hosted a demo space and gaming zone, along with support desks for users encountering any issues with their Microsoft devices, similar to Apple's Genius Bar.

Upstairs, there were also meeting and conference facilities that TechRadar Pro visited on many occasions for launches and interviews.

The move means Microsoft will now no longer have a physical standalone presence in the UK capital, unlike Apple and Google, although its products will still be shown off in partner retailers across the city.

A similar Microsoft Experience Centre remains in New York, but there's no news on whether this facility will stay open for the time being.

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Mike Moore is Deputy Editor at TechRadar Pro. He has worked as a B2B and B2C tech journalist for nearly a decade, including at one of the UK's leading national newspapers and fellow Future title ITProPortal, and when he's not keeping track of all the latest enterprise and workplace trends, can most likely be found watching, following or taking part in some kind of sport.