After repeated calls for Uniqlo to return to Brighton, we decided to look back at some past favourite shops which people would like to see come back to the city.

A much-missed shop, Uniqlo came to Brighton in 2002 - a while before it was an internationally famous and loved brand. 

Uniqlo was in the large unit where Decathlon is now in North Street and closed after just over a year.

Uniqlo was only in Brighton for just over a yearUniqlo was only in Brighton for just over a year (Image: Skye Brackpool)

"Uniqlo came to Brighton very early on but shut down in 2003 before the brand really caught on," Pete Tobin wrote on Facebook. I am surprised they haven’t come back."

Louise Yates added: "Uniqlo is much more popular now than it was when we had one here in Brighton, we could definitely do with one back."

A more recent loss on the city's high street is Topshop. The fashion giant had a store in Churchill Square, next to Zara. Before that it was in Western Road, where Deichmann is now.

Shoppers browse Uniqlo on its opening day back in 2002Shoppers browse Uniqlo on its opening day back in 2002 (Image: Skye Brackpool)

Topshop had 70 stores but fell into administration in late 2020. All its stores were shut down and the brand was bought by Asos to be sold online only.

But last month, the chief executive of Asos, José Antonio Ramos Calamonte, hinted that the brand could make a return.

Shoppers queues outside Topshop and Topman when the store opened in Churchill SquareShoppers queues outside Topshop and Topman when the store opened in Churchill Square

“We might open stores. We will consider it for sure but we have no specific agreement to open a certain number,” he said.

Topshop and Topman moved into Churchill Square in 2014 and the massive unit covered 22,172 square feet across two floors.

Since it closed, it has remained empty besides being used as a vaccination centre during the height of the Coronavirus pandemic. 

Queues snaked around Churchill Square when the new shop openedQueues snaked around Churchill Square when the new shop opened (Image: Terry Aplin)

Another shop some residents miss is Gap. 

Gap had a store in Western Road, next to the Costa. However, in 2021 it announced it was to close all its 81 stores in the UK to move online only.

Gap in Western Road, BrightonGap in Western Road, Brighton

Since then, it has only returned to the high street in a small way with six Gap shops in shops and Gap concessions in the clothes departments in selected Next stores.