A MAJOR furniture chain with 170 stores is set to close a shop within days.
Bensons for Beds will be pulling down the shutters on one of its branches on Saturday.
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The shop in Sittingbourne Retail Park in Kent is currently holding a big reduced-to-clear sale as it prepares to shut its doors.
Confirming the closure a spokesperson encouraged shoppers to head over to neighbouring sites in Maidstone and Aylesford.
They said: “Sadly, the Bensons for Beds store in Sittingbourne will be closing on December 9.
“We know this news will be disappointing for our many local customers, however, we are launching new, upgraded stores across the UK as part of our three-year transformation plan, focusing on the right store in the right location to meet growing consumer needs.”
Shoppers have been reacting to the closure news on social media.
Posting on Facebook one said: “Another empty shop for Sittingbourne this town soon won’t have nothing to offer it’s all but online now.”
Another wrote: “I worked for them for nearly 10 years, I’m still an advocate for the products especially the Igel range it’s a shame they are closing the store.”
Others were keen to get their hands on sale items.
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One tagged their pal and posted: “New mattress?”
A second commented: “Might be worth a look!”
And a third asked: “What’s the cheapest small double wooden please?”
The retailer specialises in beds and mattresses and has around 170 stores across the UK.
Bensons for Beds, founded in the 1950s, went into administration in June 2020 in the midst of the pandemic.
But investors Alteri immediately bought it back, aiming to save between 150 and 175 of the chain’s 242 stores.
Two years later Bensons for Beds announced it was planning to open or relocate 35 stores in 2022 after it returned to the black.
Last month, Bensons for Beds returned to profitability for the first time since 2020 after a successful turnaround plan.
Like-for-like sales for the bed retailer jumped 7% for the year to September 30, boosted by a 22% surge in online sales.
The retailer opened 14 new shops, including re-entry into markets such as Peterborough and Speke and new catchments like Edinburgh Craigleith and Edrington.
Many high street retailers have been struggling to get by over the past few years, 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.
Boots revealed it would be closing 300 stores over the next year as part of plans to evolve its brand.
Next Home is set to pull down the shutters on its branch at the Crescent Link Retail Park in Derry, Northern Ireland, next year.
Jack Wills in Worcester announced it will be closing down for good this new year.
Co-op‘s College Green store in Bristol will be closing its doors for the final time on December 9.
It’s not just shops either, pubs and restaurants have been affected too.
Punters have been left gutted and reminiscing over their last pint as another Wetherspoons pub closed this weekend.
Franco Manca, which has 70 branches, is to close its original site after 15 years.
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Meanwhile, here is every shop closing down in December including Poundland and New Look.
Plus, a high street giant is pulling down the shutters on another branch in what has been described as a “huge blow” to the area.
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