City at 'the bottom' cries shoppers as chain to close site – it's not all bad news

SHOPPERS claim their city has hit rock bottom as a major discounter with dozens of branches prepares to close one of its branches.

Bargain Buys, owned by the Poundstretcher chain, is to close its store in Trowbridge, Wiltshire.

But it's not all bad news, as the branch is about to close for renovations, an employee revealed.

It is not yet clear when exactly the branch will close and when it will reopen.

Barga Buys declined to comment on what date the branch will close.

News that the “great” branch in Trowbridge will close, even temporarily, has been met with devastation by shoppers and locals.

One said: 'Trowbridge town center has now hit rock bottom, they might as well pull the plug.

Meanwhile, a second added: “They can't close!

“They will miss the hundreds, if not thousands, of potential customers who will be using the new footpaths that the council is currently constructing at great expense… Oh dear, how sad.”

The Bargain Buys branch in Trowbridge is not the first from the chain to announce it will close its doors.

The store in Northfield Retail Park, Kettering, will come down its shutters in early 2024 and be replaced by a Pure Gym.

Pure Gym confirmed it is taking over the site from Bargain Buys, but did not reveal the exact date it will open.

A spokesperson for the chain added that it was “excited” to open another branch in the city.

Meanwhile, a number of other discount brands have closed their stores in recent months.

B&M has closed ten stores since February last year, including in Bristol, Bolton and Newport, Wales.

Meanwhile, Quality Save, owned by TJ Morris, downed the shutters of its Chorley store in October.

Poundstretcher also closed 13 branches in 2023, including in Romford, Grantham and Grimsby.

It comes at a time when the high street is taking a hit as shoppers increasingly turn to online stores and away from physical stores.

High energy and labor costs have also meant businesses are struggling, while shoppers' budgets are under pressure due to high inflation.

It has led to notable brands such as Wilko and Paperchase coming under management in 2023.

Meanwhile, pharmacy giant Boots said in June last year it would consolidate its store portfolio from 2,200 to 1,900.

That said, some retailers, including B&M and Poundland, have sought to expand their portfolios.

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

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