SHOPPERS have been left disappointed after a beloved electrical retailer announced that it will close one of its branched for good.
Hughes Electrical has 22 stores across the UK, including branches in Norfolk, Ipswich and Suffolk.
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It’s an independent retailer, founded in 1921, and it offers a range of services from deliveries to appliance rentals.
But now, the chain has announced plans to pull the shutters down on its branch in Ely High Street, Cambridgeshire, on February 17.
Shoppers have taken to social media to share their sadness over the decision to close the shop, that some had described as “wonderful”.
Writing on Google reviews, one shopper wrote: “What adjectives can I use about Hughes Electrical of Ely?
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“Wonderful, caring, very professional, good knowledge of merchandise and above all, will not stop until they beat a problem.”
One Facebook user said: “That’s a blow. I guess we can look forward to another charity or coffee shop!”
Another added: “Oh so sad. Lovely people working there, so knowledgeable and helpful.”
A third added: “Soon there won’t be any shops. Ely is dying.”
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And a fourth wrote: “Another nail in the coffin for high street.”
It comes after Hughes Electrical closed its branch in Spalding, Lincolnshire, earlier this month.
Taking to Facebook, shoppers said it was a “huge shame” to see it close.
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A number of high street retailers have disappeared from high streets across Cambridgeshire in recent months.
Game in Huntingdon High Street, Cambridgeshire, closed on January 14.
The Cambridgeshire branch of Clinton Cards is among dozens of branches the retailer has closed over the last year.
Plus, Halfords closed its site in the Meadowlands Retail Park early last year.
More high street closures
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 on their way.
Several major brands have also collapsed, such as Wilko and Paperchase.
Many retailers have been struggling to get by, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Energy costs have risen, and more shoppers than ever are choosing to order online rather than head into stores.
This has left some retailers grappling with budgets and have no choice but to close stores to cut costs.
British retailers saw the amount of goods they sold drop last month at its fastest rate in three years as under-pressure families shifted part of their Christmas shop to earlier in the year.
Sales volumes dipped by 3.2% in December, data from the Office for National Statistics suggests, down from a rise of 1.4% a month before.
Several big-name chains are pulling down the shutters for the final time this month.
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WhSmith in Oban, Scotland, will close for good on February 17.
While Boots has revealed it is closing 300 stores over the next year as part of plans to evolve its brand.
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