A HUGE outdoor retailer has announced it will close one of its stores within days.
Decathlon is set to shut the doors on its shop in Forge Retail Park in Telford, Shropshire, on November 3.
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The French sporting goods retailer has operated at the shopping centre since 2018.
The closure is said to be part of a “brand refresh” and a “broader review” of its store network.
Decathlon told customers they can use vouchers at its Wednesbury store until the end of the year.
The company also said that staff members were being supported to continue working at the company “where possible”.
Michael McHale, Regional Leader at Decathlon UK said: “We’re saddened to be closing our Telford store, which has served the local community for over six years.
“However, we’re excited to continue supporting our loyal customers by welcoming them to our Wednesbury location, just a short drive away.
“At Decathlon, we remain committed to bringing the wonders of sport to life and providing the same great products, services, and experiences that our customers have come to love.”
Local residents have been left disappointed at the news that their area is losing its Decathlon store.
One wrote on Facebook: “Great shop – sad to see it closing.”
Another said: “Sad. Great store. Useful to have on our doorstep.”
A third claimed: “All thanks to the blumming shoplifters!”
It comes as closures have rocked high streets across the UK in recent years.
Some retailers have closed a few branches here and there for various reasons, like when a store lease has come to an end.
Other examples of one-off rather than widespread closures is if there are changes in the area, like a shopping centre closing, and in some cases a shop will close to relocate to another area.
Some chains have faced tougher conditions though, forcing them to shut dozens of stores, or all of them in the worst case.
Elsewhere, a much-loved tea room is being forced to close having been in business for 34 “happy and successful” years.
The family-run Two Hoots Tea Room is situated in one of Wales’ most-visited tourist spots and they say they are devastated after they were ordered to pull down the shutters for good.
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 Paperchase, Cath Kidston, 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.
The Body Shop and Ted Baker are the biggest names to have already collapsed into administration this year.
Meanwhile, customers were left devastated after a family-run clothing shop was forced to close after 144 years.
Dancers is run by the fourth and fifth generation of the Dancer family, but the rise in online shopping meant they had to let it go.
And, closures are affecting various industries across different sectors as a historic city brewery, with a legacy spanning 150 years, is also set to close.
The Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) has confirmed plans to close Wolverhampton’s Banks’s Brewery.