The Forum to leave The Brunel for Bath after almost 24 years in Swindon

The Forum, an independent shop in Swindon town centre, announced on Monday 14 September 2026 that it is moving to Bath, Swindon24 reported. The premium streetwear, menswear and footwear retailer has traded in Swindon since late 2002 and is based at 31-32 Brunel Plaza in The Brunel Shopping Centre.

The Forum said: "The time has come for us to move from a town to a city and take The Forum into its next chapter."

When does the Swindon shop close?

No closing date for the Swindon shop had been announced, and neither the location nor the opening date of the Bath store had been given. The company described it as a move "from a town to a city" rather than an extra branch.

Why is it going?

In an interview with Swindon24 a couple of weeks earlier, owner Andy Knight said the town centre had changed a great deal since the pandemic. "It's a shame that a lot of the key anchor stores have pulled out," he said. He said The Forum had become a shop people travel to: "We are definitely a destination shop." He suggested it might do better in "a destination city… somewhere where we're not just a destination store in a town where we need to pull people in."

Mr Knight has taken full control of the business after buying out his business partner.

Reaction

The Forum said Swindon "will always be a massive part of our story."

A spokesperson for The Brunel said: "We are sorry to see The Forum leave The Brunel Swindon, but we wish them all the best."

Source: Swindon24.