A NUMBER of retailers are closing seven stores between them this weekend in a fresh blow for the high street.
Peacocks, Boots and Game are all shuttering branches between them within days.
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Go Outdoors, The Original Factory Shop and posh retailer Booths are also permanently shutting stores.
Below is a list of all the retailers welcoming customers into stores for the final time this weekend.
Peacocks
Fashion retailer Peacocks, which currently runs 350 branches across the UK, is pulling down the shutters on its store in Boscombe, Bournemouth, tomorrow (April 6).
It comes after the chain closed its branch in Camborne, Cornwall, on Wednesday in a blow for locals.
Read more in Store Closures
News of the Boscombe closure has been met with devastation from shoppers, with one commenting “only pound shops and coffee shops exist in Boscombe nowadays”.
It’s not all bad news though as the retailer has been opening a number of branches since the start of 2023.
In October last year, the chain revealed it had plans to open seven new stores across Wales, England and Scotland.
Go Outdoors
Go Outdoors is closing its branch in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, tomorrow (April 6).
The retailer, which sells everything from outdoor clothing to tents and camping gear, currently runs around 100 shops across the UK.
Local media in February reported staff had put up closing down signs in the shop window offering reductions of up to 30% off.
Customers have taken to Facebook to vent their frustration at the closure.
One said “if it’s actually going then another major blow for the town” while another added “this is not good news”.
The Original Factory Shop
The Original Factory Shop is pulling down the shutters on two branches this weekend.
The stationer will close its stores in Harwich, Essex, and Taunton, Somerset, tomorrow (April 6).
The retailer, which also sells clothing and homeware, currently runs around 200 branches across the UK.
Locals have been left disconsolate after finding out about the closures.
One, commenting on the Harwich closure, said: “So sad to read this, an amazing hard working team.”
Another, commenting on the Taunton closure, added: “Oh no, it’s been wonderful having you in County Walk, very sad news.”
It’s not all doom and gloom for The Original Factory Shop though as it has opened 16 branches since August last year.
Game
Game, owned by the Frasers Group since 2019, is closing one of its branches today in a blow for shoppers.
The video game chain will shutter its branch in Newark, Nottinghamshire, on April on Sunday (April 7).
News of the closure hasn’t been met well by locals, with one branding it a “huge loss” and another adding “shame to see it go”.
Frasers Group hasn’t just been closing branches across the UK though, and has been opening new “concept” stores.
Boots
Pharmacy giant Boots is pulling down the shutters of its store in Colwyn Bay, Wales, on April 6, according to local news reports.
MP for the area David Jones previously said he was “dismayed” the branch will close for good.
The politician branded the closure “hugely bad news for the local community”.
Booths
Posh retailer Booths is closing its branch in Hale Barns, Greater Manchester, on Sunday (April 7).
However, it’s not all bad news as Asda will be taking over the store juts a few weeks later on April 29.
The Hale Barns site will become Asda’s second main store in Altrincham.
What else is happening on the high street?
The high street has been hit hard in recent years as shoppers increasingly turn their attentions to online retail.
High energy and wage costs and business rates have further piled pressure on businesses, forcing many to close.
A number of major brands have crashed into administration since the start of 2023, including Wilko and Paperchase.
This year, The Body Shop fell into administration which has seen dozens of branches close. Eighty two will have shut in total by the end of April.
Other retailers have been closing shops in a bid to reduce their physical presence across the UK.
Last June, Boots said it would be shutting 300 of its 2,200 stores in areas where it already operates one.
Superdry started closing eight of its 104 UK branches last July as part of a £35million cost-cutting project.
Why are retailers closing stores?
RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
The high street has seen a whole raft of closures over the past year, and more are coming.
The number of jobs lost in British retail dropped last year, but 120,000 people still lost their employment, figures have suggested.
Figures from the Centre for Retail Research revealed that 10,494 shops closed for the last time during 2023, and 119,405 jobs were lost in the sector.
It was fewer shops than had been lost for several years, and a reduction from 151,641 jobs lost in 2022.
The centre’s director, Professor Joshua Bamfield, said the improvement is “less bad” than good.
Although there were some big-name losses from the high street, including Wilko, many large companies had already gone bust before 2022, the centre said, such as Topshop owner Arcadia, Jessops and Debenhams.
“The cost-of-living crisis, inflation and increases in interest rates have led many consumers to tighten their belts, reducing retail spend,” Prof Bamfield said.
“Retailers themselves have suffered increasing energy and occupancy costs, staff shortages and falling demand that have made rebuilding profits after extensive store closures during the pandemic exceptionally difficult.”
Alongside Wilko, which employed around 12,000 people when it collapsed, 2023’s biggest failures included UK Flooring Direct, Planet Organic and Tile Giant.
The Centre for Retail Research said most stores were closed because companies were trying to reorganise and cut costs rather than the business failing.
However, experts have warned there will likely be more failures this year as consumers keep their belts tight and borrowing costs soar for businesses.
Last year, around 14% of insolvencies were in retail businesses, according to official figures.
But it’s not all bad news in the sector as a number of chains are opening branches too.
B&M has opened 17 branches already this year, while Aldi has its eyes set on opening hundreds more branches in the coming years.
DIY chain Screwfix is also set to open dozens of branches as its owner Kingfisher looks to expand its nationwide presence.
Major supermarket chain Asda has also been opening dozens of branches across the UK.
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