Brown Thomas objects to plans for new 'premium beauty retailer' in central Dublin

HIGH-END RETAILER Brown Thomas is objecting to plans for a new “premium beauty retailer” on Grafton Street in Dublin.

The plans are to replace the Victoria’s Secret store to make way for a “premium beauty retailer specialising in prestige skincare, cosmetics, fragrance and wellness products”.

The plans include an upgrade to the shopfront and were submitted last month by businessman Eamon Waters and the city council. Waters is the owner of the building 28/29 Grafton Street and also owns renewable energy company Huntstown Bioenergy.

This followed the American lingerie brand’s decision to move its flagship Irish store from Grafton Street to retail units 1 and 2 at 40-43 Nassau Street.

However, in an objection lodged with the city council, Operations Director at Brown Thomas Arnotts Ltd, Mark Limby has called on the council to refuse planning permission.

Limby has told the council that the application, if permitted at the scale proposed, would represent a disproportionate and undue additional concentration of a single retail category – cosmetics and beauty products – on the street.

He said that this would be contrary to retail-mix and higher order retail policies in the City Council’s Scheme of Special Planning Control for Grafton Street and Environs.

The planning documents do not name the cosmetics firm, but it was reported in May that the new occupier is to be luxury beauty brand Space NK, which plans to relocate from its current, smaller premises at 82 Grafton Street.

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The move by the US-owned Space NK to open its flagship Irish store on Grafton Street follows soaring revenues at its Irish business where revenues more than doubled here from £2.86 million (€3.34 million) to £7.23 million (€8.43 million) in the 12 months to the end of March 2025.

In its most recent 48 week reporting period to 4 January 2025, Brown Thomas Arnotts Ltd recorded group revenues of €319.3 million and in the objection, Limby contends that the applicant’s survey of existing dedicated cosmetics and beauty retail offer on Grafton Street materially understates it.

Limby states that the survey names only Space NK, Sculpted by Aimee, Kiko Milano and Rituals, saying that it should also include Brown Thomas which has its own dedicated beauty hall, Boots, Hickey’s Pharmacy, Marks & Spencer and Holland & Barrett.

Limby points out that Brown Thomas is recognised as a landmark business integral to the character of Grafton Street in the Council’s Scheme of Special Planning Control for Grafton Street and Environs.

He said that therefore Brown Thomas “has a direct and material interest in ensuring that development on the street is consistent with this established character and with a balanced retail offer and makes this submission in that context”.

Limby requests that the council seek further information requiring the applicant to submit a corrected and complete assessment of existing cosmetics and beauty retail provision on Grafton Street, prior to any determination of the application.

A planning report drawn up for applicants by planning consultants, Brock McClure states that the upgrade of 28/29 Grafton Street will improve the architectural quality of the building, strengthen its contribution to the streetscape and reinforce the vitality, attractiveness and commercial success of Dublin City Centre.

Brock McClure states that the new facade for the building “represents a substantial improvement over the existing arrangement”.

The planning report states that the proposed interventions will deliver a contemporary, high-quality retail frontage that responds positively to the scale, character and architectural rhythm of Grafton Street.

A decision is due on the application next month.