‘Another nail in the coffin’ cry shoppers as retailers set to close stores this week – including Boots and HMV
A NUMBER of retailers are closing eight branches between them this week as shoppers cry it's "another nail in the coffin".
Clintons, Boots, HMV and Halfords are among the chains shutting stores before January 28.
It comes after figures from the Centre for Retail Research revealed almost 10,500 shops closed for the final time in 2023.
More than 119,000 jobs were lost in the sector over the same 12-month period too.
But for now, here are the stores closing this week...
Clintons
Clintons is closing its branch in Haverhill, Suffolk, on January 24, just months after the card retailer said it would shut 38 stores to avoid falling into administration.
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However, according to local news reports, the Haverhill closure is separate from the 38 that were earmarked to shut.
The chain currently runs 179 shops and employs 1,400 staff nationwide.
Flannels
The Flannels site in Market Place Shopping Centre, Bolton, will pull down its shutters on January 24, according to local news reports.
The store only opened in July last year, after taking on the unit from Tessuti.
A spokesperson for The Frasers Group, which owns Flannels, told The Sun it was "committed" to finding impacted staff new roles within the business.
Peacocks
High street fashion chain Peacocks is set to pull down the shutters of its branch in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, on January 25.
Shoppers have spotted a sign on the window of the store in the Arc Shopping Centre, according to local news reports.
One shopper branded the closure "a shame", adding it was creating "another hole in the high street".
HMV
Entertainment retailer HMV is shuttering its branch in Boston, Lincolnshire, on January 27.
The site in the Pescod Square Shopping Centre is closing due to "shifting consumer behaviours", a spokesperson said.
Residents have reacted to the closure with anger and frustration, with one crying: "Another sad loss for our town. We all need each other to survive! Tough times for us retailers."
Halfords
Halfords is pulling down the shutters on a branch in Dudley, West Midlands, within days.
The branch in The Merry Hill Centre, Brierley Hill, will close for good on January 26, with eagle-eyed shoppers spotting a sign in the window confirming the closure.
Residents have shared their disappointment following the news the branch will shut.
One said: "Another nail in Merry Hills coffin," while another added: "That's a big surprise. I left them ten years ago, Merry Hill was one of the major stores."
Boots
Pharmacy chain Boots is closing its branch in Pemberton, Wigan, on January 26.
Locals have come out in arms, saying the departure will hit their bustling town centre hard.
One said: "Whatever the reason, it's very bad news for Pemberton," while another added: "This is terrible news. I use Boots in Pemberton all the time."
It comes after the chain revealed last June it would be massively consolidating its portfolio from 2,200 to 1,900 stores.
It is not clear whether the Pemberton branch is included within the 300 figure.
Tesco
Tesco is closing its Doncaster, South Yorkshire, branch on January 27, but it is reopening as a One Stop the following month.
One Stop is owned by the Tesco Group.
A One Stop spokesperson told The Sun it was "excited" to be opening the branch on February 22.
They added: "We look forward to being part of the local community and are proud to make a difference in the areas we serve.”
Zara
Spanish fashion retailer Zara is pulling down the shutters on its branch in Telford on January 26.
A spokesperson for the chain, owned by billionaire Amancio Ortega, said the store was coming to the end of its lease.
Shoppers have been left gutted by the closure though, with one branding it "a real shame".
Why are retailers closing branches?
Recent figures from the Centre for Retail Research revealed over 10,000 shops closed for the final time in 2023, while 120,000 retail staff lost their jobs.
The high street has been hit hard as shoppers turn to online retail, while high inflation last year saw households' budgets squeezed.
That, combined with high wage and energy costs for businesses, saw many forced to close stores.
The latest Red Flag Alert report from insolvency specialist Begbies Traynor found that 47,477 firms were in critical financial distress in the final three months of last year.
This is up 25.9% on the previous three months and marks the second quarter in a row where critical financial distress has grown by about a quarter.
Begbies also said that 539,900 UK businesses were deemed to be in “significant” financial distress in the quarter, up 12.9% on the previous three months and 5.6% higher year on year.
But some retailers are still airing the storm and have expansion plans.
What retailers are opening stores?
While a number of retailers are closing branches, there are some opening stores and expanding their portfolios.
B&M is opening six stores this week, including in Stourbridge, Washington and Loughborough. This is the full list:
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- Chelmsley Wood – January 25
- Stourbridge – January 25
- Allestree – January 27
- Washington - January 26
- Wigston - January 26
- Loughborough - January 27
Asda has said it is on track to open 1,000 more sites throughout the UK and Northern Ireland by March 2024 too.
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