Apple confirms two additional UK stores at preview event

Two days before officially opening the doors to its new retail store on Regent Street in London, Apple Computer announced that it will open at least two more retail stores in the United Kingdom in 2005, one in Birmingham and another in Kent.

The announcement came during a "special preview" event for employees, business partners and the media, which was held at the company's upcoming Regent Street location in downtown London.

"We will be opening two new stores in the UK next year," said company retail cheif, Ron Johnson, who provided no further information on the stores other than their location.

Both future locations are under development inside shopping centers, with the Birmingham store set to touch down at the Bullring Mall and the Kent store inside the massive Bluewater shopping center.

Johnson further stated that Apple is working to open additional stores in Europe, but again provided no details. It had previously been rumored that the company was looking into opening a retail location 200 miles north of London in Manchester, England.

Thursday's special preview event took place at 3:00 pm London time and was invite only. "On Saturday, November 20, Apple will open its first retail store in Europe. The Apple Store, Regent Street. Please join us for a special preview and tour for business partners," reads the digital invite distributed earlier this week to employees, partners and the press.

Apple's Regent Street store in London’s West End shopping district will open for the first time on Saturday, November 20 at 10:00 a.m.