Heals to float and expand

Furniture and houseware retailer Heals has confirmed that it is planning flotation this March, followed by gradual expansion.

The chain currently has stores in London’s Tottenham Court Road and King’s Road, and is thought to be considering up to ten outlets in total. Some are almost certain to be outside London.

Designers have not yet been appointed to design new stores. But Heals managing director, Colin Pilgrim, says the company has been happy with work carried out previously by Virgile & Stone, which designed the King’s Road store last year and worked on refurbishments at the Tottenham Court Road branch.

“Our relationship so far has been good, but we judge them job by job,” he says.