SHOE KNEW
‘Won’t be able to call it a high street soon’ moan shoppers as major shoe chain abruptly shuts branch doors for good
The shoe retailer has just 59 stores across the UK
A MAJOR shoe retailer has abruptly closed a branch for good leaving shoppers stunned.
Footasylum has closed a store in Reading at the end of last month.
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The store is located on Broadstreet and shoppers saw huge red signs announcing a 20% sale in shop windows leading up to the closure.
Local media reports that the store's final day of business was February 27.
Locals took to Facebook to share their frustration with many saying the news had devastated the town.
One user said: “This is a political problem. Not a store problem.”
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Another said: “What’s the next Shoezone???”
“Reading won’t even be able to be called a Town very soon,” said a third user.
A fourth user chimed: “Another one bites the dust.”
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A Footaylum spokesperson told The Sun “After a record FY24, Footasylum is continuing its highly ambitious store opening and upsizing programme across the UK, which is delivering bigger-and-better stores."
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"This has seen us recently open on Oxford Street, and in shopping centres such as Birmingham Bullring, Westfield Stratford and Leeds White Rose.
"As such, while we have taken the decision not to renew the lease of our Reading store, we are confident that we will return with a bigger-and-better store when a suitable unit becomes available.”
The retailer has just 59 stores around the UK but it's looking to expand by opening a new flagship store in Oxford Street and Birmingham.
Here's a full list of the Footasylum stores that have opened:
- Cheshunt, Hertfordshire - December 2022
- Westfield Stratford - May 2023
- Oxford Street and Lakeside Essex - September 2023
- Birmingham Bullring and atria Watford October 2023
- Fosse Park Leicester - November 2023
- Leeds White Rose - February 2024
It seems Footaymums biggest competitors have not been so fortunate, last month Clarks closing a store in Witham.
Similarly, Shoezone confirmed it was closing a store in June.
The retailer which has around 320 stores in the UK has confirmed it closed 13 branches last year.
What is happening to the high street?
Many retailers have been struggling to get by over the past few years.
The pandemic was a tough blow as many stores had to close during lockdown.
Since then energy costs have risen and more shoppers than ever are choosing to order online rather than head into stores.
This has left some retailers grappling with budgets and having no choice but to close stores to cut costs.
For the most part, supermarkets have braved the storm as they provide essential items like food and drink.
Other retailers have not been so lucky, The Body Shop is currently going through administration and announced plans to close half of its 198 stores with seven already closing this month.
The retailer confirmed it would be closing 75 stores over the next four to six weeks.
Boots revealed it would be closing 300 stores over the next year as part of plans to evolve its brand.
WHSmith told The Sun it has no plans to open anymore more high street stores as it wants to focus on the travel side of its business.
Major banks have also announced multiple branch closures.
Barclays is to start pulling the shutters down on 14 sites in England, three in Wales and three in Scotland as soon as April.
Even charity shops are struggling Oxfam confirmed it would close eight of its UK stores last year.
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Retailers closing stores in 2024
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 are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
Here's a list of all the big-name brands closing stores this year:
- Argos - The brand announced plans to close 100 standalone UK branches last year as it looks to move away from the high street and focus on expanding its presence in supermarkets.
- B&Q - The chain has over 300 shops across the UK, so chances are you have one near you, but some stores have closed in recent months.
- Boots - The health and beauty chain announced that it would be closing 300 stores last July. Closures are ongoing and this will see the retailer's estate reduced from 2,200 to 1,900 shops.
- Clintons - Clintons mulled plans to close 38 shops in a bid to avoid insolvency late last year. We've listed the stores affected.
- Costa Coffee - The caffeine giant has around 2,000 sites nationwide, so chances are you'll have one near you. The chain has shut the doors to dozens of its sites recently. We've revealed which stores are due to close this year.
- Iceland - The supermarket has more than 900 stores but closed nearly two dozen sites in 2023, and more selected shops are due to shut.
- Lidl - The supermarket, which has 950 stores, is changing up shop locations, which has meant that some stores have to close. But the retailer is also looking to open 12 new supermarkets.
- M&S - M&S, which runs 405 stores across the country, has been closing a string of branches across the country in a blow for shoppers. It's not all bad news, though, because the chain also has big plans to open dozens of new shops as well.
- Trespass - The firm announced in July last year that it was closing six branches, but more are on the way.
- WHSmith - The retail giant, which runs over 1,100 stores, has shuttered eight stores since March 2023, but more are coming.
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