BYE BYE
Bargain chain with over 500 branches to shut ‘amazing’ store that’s perfect for ‘inexpensive’ gifts
Plus we reveal all the chains we've loved and lost in recent years
A BARGAIN chain with more than 500 sites is set to close an "amazing" store in just days.
The Works is pulling down the shutters on one of its sites in east London on May 30.
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The site is located in the Heathway Shopping Centre, Dagenham.
Local shoppers shared their disappointment to the news on social media.
One said: "So council buy The Mall and now we hear The Works is closing down. Soon it'll be charity and betting shops only.
"Sounds like a great policy for rejuvenating a failing shopping centre at our expense."
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The branch has been described as "amazing" in Google reviews.
A reviewer wrote: "Amazing customer service. Popped in here last weekend and the manager was so helpful- she was friendly, approachable and so willing to help everyone."
Another hailed: "Lovely arts and crafts shop. Does inexpensive toys and stocking fillers for Xmas.
"Does a good selection of books for adults and kids. Friendly staff."
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A third posted: "Positive and welcoming atmosphere. Great range of products to fill most needs. Highly recommended."
While a fourth said: "Very helpful staff good range of products good quality and store very."
And another wrote: "They are plenty of toys, games, books, puzzles, stationery, art and craft stuff, Christmas stuff, diaries and calendars, gift bags, cards, balloons, board games, cardboard storage boxes, and more both for adults and kids."
Unfortunately the closure seems to have been out of the chain's control.
Why are retailers closing shops?
EMPTY shops have become an eyesore on many British high streets and are often symbolic of a town centre’s decline.
The Sun's business editor Ashley Armstrong explains why so many retailers are shutting their doors.
In many cases, retailers are shutting stores because they are no longer the money-makers they once were because of the rise of online shopping.
Falling store sales and rising staff costs have made it even more expensive for shops to stay open. In some cases, retailers are shutting a store and reopening a new shop at the other end of a high street to reflect how a town has changed.
The problem is that when a big shop closes, footfall falls across the local high street, which puts more shops at risk of closing.
Retail parks are increasingly popular with shoppers, who want to be able to get easy, free parking at a time when local councils have hiked parking charges in towns.
Many retailers including Next and Marks & Spencer have been shutting stores on the high street and taking bigger stores in better-performing retail parks instead.
Boss Stuart Machin recently said that when it relocated a tired store in Chesterfield to a new big store in a retail park half a mile away, its sales in the area rose by 103 per cent.
In some cases, stores have been shut when a retailer goes bust, as in the case of Wilko, Debenhams Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Paperchase to name a few.
What’s increasingly common is when a chain goes bust a rival retailer or private equity firm snaps up the intellectual property rights so they can own the brand and sell it online.
They may go on to open a handful of stores if there is customer demand, but there are rarely ever as many stores or in the same places.
A spokesperson for The Works said: "We can confirm that we will be closing our Heathway Shopping Centre store in Dagenham after close of trade on May 30.
"This has been a great location for The Works, but sadly we have been unable to agree suitable lease terms to stay."
They added that they apologise for any inconvenience caused by the closure and thanked customers.
The chain also said it's looking to move staff over to local stores nearby.
Shoppers can visit the Romford site which is just three miles away and Beckton Retail Park.
The news today comes after the discount retailer, closed its branch in Fforestfach Retail Park, Swansea, on April 20.
The Works had also confirmed to The Sun its branch in Penrith would close in mid-April.
The Works also shut its store in Hitchin last August, after closing its branch in Coulby Newham the month before.
Plus, it has recently closed stores in Bridgend and Croydon as part on an "ongoing management" of its portfolio.
But it has also opened branches as part of the move, including in Wolverhampton, Llanelli, Grimsby and Crewe.
Retailers closing stores in 2024
RETAILERS have been hit by soaring inflation and a downturn in spending due to the cost of living crisis.
High energy costs are a move to shopping online are also taking their toll.
While some high street shops have closed due to businesses opening up in different locations such as larger retail parks.
Shops may also close due to a number of other reasons, such as rising rents.
We explain which retailers are closing in 2024:
- 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, with two stores closing this year due to leases not being renewed. It has plans to open more in 2024 too.
- 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.
Which other stores have we lost recently?
We have seen several big losses in the last 12 months including popular discounter Wilko and stationary brand Paperchase.
Health and beauty chain The Body Shop fell into administration and announced the closure of many of its 200 stores.
Almost 500 staff are set to lose their jobs after 75 stores were earmarked for closure.
Plus, Ted Baker fell into administration in March 2024 too, with 15 stores having shut by April 19.
Other retailers such as Iceland, Boots and Matalan have been slimming down the number of stores they have on the high street.
Clarks has announced the closure of yet another location within weeks.
Just this spring Boots is closing a total of nine sites, as part of its wider plans to get rid of 300 locations.
These closures will see the retailer's total shops reduced from 2,200 to 1,900.
This has upset a lot of locals in the affected towns, however, the health and beauty chain has said where stores are closing there is an alternative shop less than three miles away.
Last year Argos started to put in place its plans to reduce the number of standalone stores and focus on opening more locations inside Sainsbury's supermarkets.
It closed 42 UK shops, including all 34 of its branches in the Republic of Ireland last June.
Which retailers are opening stores?
Several other retailers and hospitality venues have plans to expand.
Superdrug has plans to swing the shutters up on 25 new branches in the coming months.
Beer giant Heineken announced plans to invest £39million to help reopen 62 previously shuttered British pubs.
Aldi has announced that it will open 35 new UK stores.
The openings form part of Aldi's long-term target of 1,500 stores in the UK.
The supermarket is set to invest £550million in expanding its UK footprint this year alone.
Aldi said each new store opening will create around 40 new jobs on average.
Asda has been opening hundreds of convenience stores in recent months as it looks to rival major players Tesco and Sainsbury's.
B&M plans to open "not less than" 45 brand new stores across the UK in each of the next two consecutive years.
The parent company of Bonmarché, Edinburgh Woollen Mill (EWM) and Peacocks, Purepay Retail Limited, has said it wants to open 100 new high street stores over the next 18 months.
It has yet to give the exact locations where it will open the 100 stores or when they will open.
One of the UK's favourite bakery chains, Greggs, has exclusively revealed to The Sun plans to open more outlet branches by the end of 2025.
Home Bargains, which was running just under 600 branches as of last June, has said it wants to "eventually have between 800 and 1,000 retail outlets open".
The major discounter has stopped short of saying when it wants to reach the 1,000 store target, however.
Primark is also opening new branches and investing and renovating more than a dozen of its existing shops.
Screwfix is set to open 40 new stores nationwide as its owner, Kingfisher, seeks to expand the DIY brand's national presence.
The brand opened two new stores in March, and a further three new shops will open this month.
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Tesco has revealed plans to open 70 more stores across the UK over the next year as part of major expansion plans.
WHSmith has turned its focus to the travel side of its business, with plans to open new sites in airports, railway stations and hospitals.
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