'Sad news': beauty retailer with 177 branches abruptly closes 'wonderful' store

A BEAUTY retailer with 177 branches has abruptly closed a 'delightful' city center store.

Locals said the closure of Neal's Yard Remedies health store in Dorchester was “such sad news”.

The outlet closed on February 3 after serving the Dorset market town for almost a decade.

It sold high-quality beauty and health products made at the Neal's Yard factory in nearby Gillingham.

The store also offered Indian head massages, reflexology, facials, manicures and pedicures.

Neal's Yard is the latest chain to leave Dorchester – with Clinton's Cards, M&Co and Ambience all closing their doors since the pandemic.

The city's mayor Alistair Chisholm said: 'I'm sorry to hear of another store closing, it's always sad to see.

“There have been some pretty profound changes in shopping habits, especially in online services and next day delivery.

“We need to reinvent the city centre, whilst making the most of what we have – and trying to bring in something new and exciting for the city.”

Local salon owner Liz Sedwards said: “It is very sad news that another shop in Dorchester has closed.”

It comes after retailers saw the amount of goods sold over Christmas fall at the fastest rate in three years.

Sales volumes fell 3.2% in December, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed.

This meant that December saw the biggest drop in retail sales since January 2021, when the country was still under Covid-19 restrictions.

The high street has been hit hard in recent years as shoppers increasingly turn to online stores, a trend exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Center for Retail Research recently revealed that more than 10,000 stores and almost 120,000 retail jobs will be lost by 2023.

High energy and labor costs have forced many companies to close their doors.

In addition, rising inflation in 2022 and 2023 put pressure on household budgets, leaving them with less disposable cash and causing retailers to suffer.