Suit Direct among wave of new brands heading to Chelmsford's Meadows Shopping Centre
Men's outfitter Suit Direct is set to open a new store at the Meadows Shopping Centre in Chelmsford, as the city centre shopping destination pushes ahead with a major revitalisation drive.
Suit Direct will take a 5,000 sq ft unit at the Meadows, joining a growing list of retailers and leisure operators committing to the High Street site.
The men's outfitter is among several new arrivals at the centre, which also include burger and fried chicken restaurant Smoke & Pepper, due to open in April, and Hollywood Bowl, which is set to take over the unit currently occupied by One Beyond before the end of the year. Big Dog Land, a lifestyle gifts, gadgets and novelty technology retailer, is also set to open on the High Street frontage in a 1,500 sq ft unit.
The flurry of new signings comes after a period of uncertainty for the Meadows. Plans had previously been put forward to demolish most of the existing buildings around the shopping centre to make way for new homes, but those plans were subsequently axed in favour of keeping the Meadows as a vibrant retail and leisure destination.
Alex Butler, senior asset manager at Estama — the firm overseeing lettings at the centre — said the momentum has been building throughout the year. "It's been a really strong start to 2026 at The Meadows, with an exciting mix of new lettings and openings already coming through," he said. "We're proud to be playing a part in the centre's ongoing evolution alongside a great team, and there's more to come across both retail and leisure."
Butler added that Chelmsford is one of the key destinations in the East of England, and that the Meadows is becoming an increasingly important part of that.
No opening date for the Suit Direct store has been confirmed at this stage.