Apple confirmed its Apple Festival Place store in Basingstoke, England will permanently close in November 2026, while Apple The Oracle in nearby Reading undergoes a major expansion and will reopen with a new design in December 2026 (via 9to5Mac). Apple The Oracle will become the closest replacement at around 18 miles from the old Basingstoke location, with Apple WestQuay in Southampton roughly 30 miles away and Apple Bentall Centre about 35 miles away as the next closest alternatives.

Apple Festival Place opened in August 2011, while Apple The Oracle first opened in June 2011, so both stores are marking just over 15 years in operation as one closes and the other is rebuilt. The Basingstoke store will continue operating normally until November, and its staff will have the opportunity to move to Apple The Oracle or another location once it shuts.

The expanded Apple The Oracle will feature an experience room, dedicated Genius Bar, Apple Pick Up area, and free Today at Apple sessions. The closure and rebuild are part of Apple's ongoing plan to open, relocate, and remodel dozens of stores worldwide. In the UK, Apple relocated its Touchwood store in Solihull and expanded Trafford Centre near Manchester, while Apple Birmingham is getting upgrades.

The Basingstoke closure follows U.S. store closures earlier this year, including the unionized Apple Towson Town Center. Apple opened 11 new stores and relocated 17 more with updated designs worldwide over the past 18 months, including new locations in Miami and Downtown Detroit alongside a revamp of its UK flagship on Regent Street in London.