“There won't be anything left” when the clothing store leaves the mall

A beloved shopping center will be demolished at the end of this month and two remaining stores will be forced to close within days.

Keel Row Shopping Center in Blyth will close for the final time on Thursday, February 29.

It came after the municipality acquired the shopping complex in July 2023.

But it has now been confirmed that it will be demolished, meaning the last remaining shops will have to leave the building within weeks.

The EE telephone store in the center will close on February 10, followed by Bonmarché on February 20.

These are the only two units currently open in the center.

Proposals for what will replace the center have not yet been finalized, but will include the Energy Central Institute, a higher education facility that supports the city's renewable energy industry and will be part of the Energy Central Campus project.

Commenting on the news on Facebook, one resident said: “I look forward to seeing the regeneration plans come to fruition as soon as possible so we are not left with a big gaping hole in the town center like in Ashington and Bedlington.”

Another said: “Another nail in the coffin of the city centre.”

'It's such a shame that Blyth is losing stores. More people, including myself, will be going to Cramlington.

“Blyth was a thriving market town and it is incredibly sad to see it have deteriorated so much over the years and I suspect the decline will continue,” said a third local resident.

Councilor Wojciech Ploszaj, cabinet member for business, told the story Northumberland Gazette: “Although this marks the end of an era, retail remains an important part of the city center and we want to encourage people to continue to visit the city as we improve the city.

“The acquisition of Keel Row means we can deliver more significant development in the city centre, including investment in education, innovation and cultural activities.”

Mayor of Blyth Warren Taylor said: 'As sad as it is to see the Keel Row close, we are optimistic that the developments taking place in the Market Place, such as the cultural centre, the proposed higher education facility and a new hotel, will be a giving a boost to city center retailers and encouraging other businesses to invest.”

But the closure of shopping centers for renovation is only one blow to the shopping streets.

Other retailers are having to voluntarily close stores in specific locations as they struggle with high costs and declining footfall.

Why are retailers closing their stores?

The reason why stores are closing is not the same for every retailer, as each retailer faces its own unique challenges.

But a number of central issues have put pressure on companies in recent years, namely high energy costs.

High inflation Shoppers' pockets have also shrunk, leaving them with less disposable money to spend.

Meanwhile, the shift to online shopping has increased pressure on high streets and retail parks.

Recent figures from the Center for Retail Research show that more than 10,000 stores will close for the last time in 2023, and almost 120,000 jobs were lost across the sector.

A number of notable retailers are closing stores, including Bootswhich is massively consolidating its portfolio of branches from 2,200 to 1,900.

Iconic names Wilko and Paperchase also fell into administration last year, with thousands of staff laid off.

Other retailers have closed stores among themselves, including Iceland, New look and the original factory shop.

In recent days, struggling fashion brand Superdry has said it is exploring various “cost-cutting options” following reports it is considering a major restructuring including store closures and job cuts.

It's not all bad news for the high street, however, with a number of retailers opening stores in the UK.

B&M, which currently operates more than 650 UK stores, recently announced plans to open a further 17 stores in January and February.

Asda also plans to open 21 new locations before the end of the month.

The retailer said it aims to have 1,000 stores in Britain and Northern Ireland by March this year.