Five Fab-u-lous reflections on new openings across the city in 2023! New Year, New Businesses!

Welcome to 2024! We’ve got high expectations for the year ahead and can’t wait to see which new businesses we’ll be welcoming to our city centre.  We wanted to take the opportunity to reflect on 2023, with a round-up of the new businesses to open their doors over the past year…..

1. centre:mk – Wow what a year for one of the top shopping centres in the UK. 1,000’s of brands under one roof and clearly attracting more. Businesses to ‘set-up shop’ last year in this huge, thriving, and accessible shopping centre are Reiss, Mango, Pho Restaurant, itsu, H&M, H&M Home, Greggs and most recently Sunlounger. So, whether it’s fashion, food, or a flight to somewhere exotic, centre:mk has got you completely covered. We’re sure there will be plenty more exciting openings coming in 2024.

2. Xscape – this large indoor entertainment centre, which from a distance dominates the Milton Keynes skyline, is packed-full of attractions for all the family and has something for all generations to enjoy. 2023 has seen the addition of Volcano Falls which hosts 3 ‘crazy’ golf courses, karaoke, electronic darts, an extended Funstation and newly opened eateries such as independents Kobe Steakhouse and Italian ‘Casa Centro’.

3. Midsummer Place – this modern indoor and outdoor shopping centre is packed full of high-street fashion stores, the child (and adult) favourite Lego store and the popular Apple store. This last year Midsummer Place has seen independent food businesses flood into their newly named ‘Boulevard’ including Panda Woo, Butterwick Bakery, Nero, House of Sliders and many more. A stylish new barber shop, Iconic Cuts has opened on the 1^st floor, men’s fashion retailer Luke 1977 opened on the mall, The Artisan Collective Farm shop offering a selection of local produce and Pret has made a welcome return to The Boulevard. You may have also noticed the wonderful local charity Willen Hospice open ‘Off the Record’, a second-hand music shop. Word is, Midsummer Place has some more exciting announcements to come in early 2024, so follow their socials.

4. The Hub – this unique area in Milton Keynes, close to Sainsbury’s is full of all your favourite eateries, as well as some great independents and a couple of hotels that you can spend the night in to make the most of your visit to Milton Keynes. A lovely independent, Fabrice, (whose breakfasts are divine) has opened, along with Veeno and the popular late-night bar and restaurant The Oligarch. These businesses all centre around a fabulous piazza and fountain, which was completed in August.

5. Santander/Unity Place – September 2023 saw the opening of the £150m state-of-the-art Santander UK Headquarters, which is located on Grafton Gate. 5,000 staff (at full capacity) can potentially work from this office in Milton Keynes. There is a café, urban food market, meeting rooms and a huge auditorium on the ground floor, open to the public. As is their stunning Sky Lounge, which sits on the top floor looking out to the west of Milton Keynes, serving delicious cocktails and small plates. A co-working space, X+Y, is situated on the second floor and more is set to come in 2024 from Unity Place, we are really excited!