Outdoor store with 200 branches pulls shutters over 'excellent' store
A MAJOR high street brand will pull the plug on one of its stores today – as locals mourn the “shock” closure.
Outdoor clothing retailer Trespass will today pull down the shutters on its outlet in Blackburn, Lancashire.
The chain, which sells a variety of its own brand of jackets, clothing, socks, shoes, boots and outdoor equipment, closed some of its more than 300 stores last year.
Trespass had no plans to move staff to other nearby stores. This is reported by the Lancashire Telegraph.
Many customers have now taken to social media to share their disappointment with the decision.
“Oh no, I used to come here a lot,” said one user.
A second chimed in: “I'm just shocked.
“I can't believe how many store closures are happening in Lancashire.”
The company announced in July last year that it would close six branches.
More main street closures
Many retail chains will close their branches in 2024 and some will leave the shopping streets completely in 2023.
Rising costs and a lack of customers have made it difficult for even the largest retailers to survive.
Perhaps the biggest shock of last year was the bankruptcy of the popular discount chain Wilko.
It disappeared from the high street after no buyer was found to take over the entire company.
The Range purchased the Wilko brand name and website and has since opened three concept stores in Plymouth, Exeter and Luton.
Stationary chain Paperchase also went bankrupt in 2023, but has since resurfaced in certain Tesco branches.
Other retailers such as Boots, Poundland and Jack Wills all closed branches in 2023.
According to the British Retail Consortium, 6,000 stores have closed since 2018.
Even more changes are in store in 2024, as a number of major retailers look to shake up their portfolios.
Major retailers such as Boots, Costa Next and Sports Direct will close a number of locations.
We've got the full list of stores closing in 2024, including branches of Argos and WHSmith.
The government is injecting the high street with a £7 million funding boost
Ten struggling high streets will take part in a new government pilot – the High Street Accelerators program – to create partnerships that enable residents and community organizations to work together on long-term regeneration plans.
The funding will help communities work with local authorities and businesses to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing their high streets – building on wider action to tackle empty shops, anti-social behavior and a lack of footfall.
These ten areas, to be called High Street Accelerators, will receive an initial £2.37 million to kick-start their partnerships – a total of £237,000 each. They can also apply for a share of up to £5 million to improve green spaces in their high streets and create a more pleasant environment for residents to meet and socialise.
This £7 million will be spent over the next two years and the impact will be assessed to inform future government policy and support for deprived high streets, building on larger interventions such as the £1.1 billion Long Term Cities Plan.
“It's been a tough few years for our high streets following the pandemic and the changes we've seen in consumer behaviour,” Leveling Up Minister Jacob Young said.
“We know that local people know what is best for their area, and we are keen to understand the benefits that High Street Accelerators can deliver by working with local businesses and their communities.
“These Accelerators will complement other interventions such as High Street Rental Auctions, helping local people tackle vacancy and other issues on their high streets.”
The High Street Accelerators Pilot Program was announced in March 2023 as part of the Anti-Social Behavior Action Plan.
It will complement other interventions designed to revitalize England's high streets, such as the High Streets Task Force helping local leaders regenerate their areas, and changing planning rules to give councils greater certainty.