Mobile phone giant Orange has kick-started its latest phase of store roll-outs in the UK with the opening of its second outlet in Southampton last week.

Orange plans to add a further 60 stores to its portfolio of 338 between now and next year.

Three additional Orange stores will be located in prominent shopping centres that have yet to open this year, including Cabot Circus in Bristol – which will be unveiled on September 25 – and Westfield London, opening on October 30.

As part of its store development plans, Orange has also revealed that it will refurbish 100 existing stores. These fit-outs follow the pilot of a format unveiled at the retailer’s Cardiff flagship last year.

Stores will be refurbished in Derby, Trafford Park, Brighton, Dudley Merry Hill and the Bullring in Birmingham, among others.

New features of the refurbished stores will include private consultation areas for customers, phones from which shoppers can call Orange customer services free of charge and customer service representative hubs where shoppers can receive face-to-face assistance from a member of staff. All new stores and refurbished branches will be fitted with the new black exterior and updated signage.

Orange head of retail Sian Doyle said: “We are already seeing the benefit our refurbishment programme has on customer sales and that is why it is fundamental that all our stores, new and old, reflect the needs of the 21st century customer.”

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