High street sports chain launches massive closing down sale as it prepares to close shop
A HIGH street sports chain has launched a massive closing down sale as it prepares to shut up shop.
Sports Direct will be pulling down the shutters on its branch in Blackpool in months.
Despite the store, in Bank Hey Street, not being signposted to close until November, the big closing down sale has already kicked off.
Signs advertising the shop's 20% off all full priced items have been posted around site.
The store will remain open and operating as usual until it's closed, although no exact date has been given yet.
It will eventually be replaced this autumn with a all-new Frasers, Sports Direct's owner, department store consisting of all the big name brands.
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These include Frasers, Sports Direct, Evans Cycles and Game.
The area will also be getting its own Flannels store in the same building but not within the same department store.
The new department store will be located within the former Debenhams site inside the Houndshill Shopping Centre.
A spokesperson for Sports Direct said: "We are excited to be bringing the vacant Debenhams unit in Houndshill Shopping Centre back to use, providing Blackpool customers with larger, elevated stores from the Group’s ecosystem, and access to more of the world’s most aspirational brands.
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"The current Sports Direct Blackpool store will relocate to a new 35,000 sq. ft Sports Direct store that will offer the world’s best sport and lifestyle brands, and feature both a Game and Evans Cycle.
"We will also open our luxury retailer, a 10,000 sq. ft Flannels store, alongside a 20,000 sq. ft new concept Frasers’ store, in the space.
"The stores will open later this year and mark an exciting time for the Group as we continue to expand our store portfolio across the UK and Europe."
It comes after two further closing down sales were launched earlier this month ahead of more closures this autumn.
The sportwear retailer is closing its huge store in Chantry Place shopping centre Norwich later in September.
It too will be replaced by a giant department store close by.
A spokesperson for the group previously said: "A new 70,000 sq. ft Sports Direct is also set to open, providing access to the world’s best sport and lifestyle brands, including Nike, Adidas and Under Armour, as well as bring more brands from Frasers Group’s ecosystem, including USC, Evans Cycle, Game and Belong, to the location."
Frasers is also set to close its Sports Direct store in Newcastle to make way for a new store opposite the current one.
The current store on Northumberland Street has launched a huge closing down sale and shoppers have posted on social media about the bargains they've bagged.
Last week The Sun reported that House of Fraser was closing another of its shops this Monday, with a second to close at the end of next month.
The chain was saved from collapse by billionaire businessman Mike Ashley back in 2018 and is now part of the Frasers group.
But while the deal saved the chain's 59 stores and 17,000 workers who were facing the axe many more stores have closed in recent years and only 30 department stores remain.
The high street has been hit hard in recent years due to the growth of online shopping, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
At the same time the cost of living has been rising, leading to shoppers cutting back on non-essential spending.
Brick and mortar stores have also seen a lack of footfall due to consumer habits switching to online shopping.
Popular chains including M&Co and Paperchase closed all stores this year.
Most recently, bargain discounter Wilko fell into administration, putting 400 branches at risk.
Following the pandemic, businesses were struggling to bounce back anyway, only to then be hit by soaring energy bills.
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Meanwhile, we've previously revealed the three things to always buy at Sports Direct and the items to avoid.
Plus, high street shops are disappearing left, right and centre and there's a whole host of stores closing in September.
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